Pick a Target, Any Targets
by Honorcpt
Summary: 3rd story in the Targeted Series, our ladies from the BAU team up with the Rizzoli and Isles team in Boston to go after a happy go lucky killer who is targeting officers at the scenes of his homicides…who will he pick next? Last chapter is up! Nominated for Best Crossover in Rizzles Fanfic Awards
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: This is the third story in my Targeted Series. If you haven't read the previous two, you may want to start with those as they offer some background on the character interactions. Up to you of course ;)**

**I was told two is a sequel and three is a series, and since I've been calling these stories part of the Targeted Series, well I owed you all at least one more didn't I?**

**All of our favorite characters are back of course to include Garcia's love interest from the last story…I hope you enjoy, your humble Bard, Honorcpt.**

The bullet that took Maura down was meant for someone else. Jane knew that and even as she tried to staunch the flow of blood from her lovers back, she screamed to Frost to call an ambulance. This was the fourth shooting at the site of a homicide; each incident had resulted in an officer down. They were dealing with a serial, they knew that and they weren't any closer today than they has been two weeks ago when the first body was found and the first officer had been shot.

Tears mingled with the sweat pouring down her face as she watched Maura struggle for breath.

"Goddamit where is the ambulance!" Jane's hair was wild as it tumbled across her shoulders, leaning down she tried to make out what Maura was telling her.

"What is it baby, it's ok, you'll be ok..." She couldn't stop the tears as they ran down her face. Maura was her life, her love.

"Emily..." she whispered hoarsely, taking a breath to continue, her body shook with the cough that wracked her body. Jane was horrified to see the spray of blood on her shirt as a result.

"What about Emily?" James confusion must have shown on her face.

"Call ... Her... She'll know..." her eyes rolled back in her head even as the paramedics reached her.

"No!"

Jane snapped upright in bed grabbing her chest.

"Jane...Jane breathe its okay...I'm here." Maura sat up and pulled her close.

This case was getting to all of them but Jane's nightmares had gotten steadily worse since Maura's near miss, when the officer she was standing next to had been gunned down. Granted she had been terrified herself, but Jane's fear and rage had frightened her. It had been only two months since Jane had gone back to work, four months since they had gotten back from DC and their encounter with a crazed transsexual named Reggie.

That case had been extremely difficult for them both, not just the nature of the case but also the toll it had almost taken on their relationship. They had learned during that case that they could always count on each other, but that trust in the others ability was key. The physical toll it had taken on them and their friends at the BAU had tested them all. The aftermath had been beautiful.

"Maura?" Jane looked at her fiancée clearly for the first time since she woke. And pulled her into her arms. Jane's embrace was fierce and Maura could feel her heart pounding in chest.

"Jane honey I'm right here, what happened? Nightmare again?" Maura hugged her back concern coloring her voice. She waited until she felt Jane relax a little before breaking their embrace. After breaking ribs again in her encounter with Reggie, Jane's convalescence had taken longer than expected and it had taken a bit longer to get back to work. Maura had simply relished in being cared for and caring for the detective. After the surprise engagement, the down time had been welcome and Maura still marveled at the feel of Jane's heart beating beneath her hand.

"I need to call Emily, now."

"Jane its 4am." a quick glance at the clock made her realize they had only slept for about three hours having both pulled a long night at work.

"I dreamt you were shot Maur and..." Jane took a deep breath as the memory haunted her even now, "and with your dying breath you told me to call her. You said she would know."

"Know? Know what, about the case?". Jane's nod scared her as she realized how panicked she still was.

"I guess what happened bothered me more than I thought, huh?" Jane's attempt at a smile was little more than a grimace.

Maura looked at her fiancée and smiled. "I think so. Do you really want to call her? Call in the BAU?"

"I don't know Maur, right now we don't have a clue who is committing these homicides or the shootings...maybe subconsciously I know we need their help?" her statement turned into a question as she tried to analyze her dream.

Maura's smile broadened as she realized how far Jane has come since they were first introduced to the team at the BAU. They were more than friends with them now, they were family. Besides that the last case with them had solidified Jane and Maura's relationship and had ended with a proposal of marriage.

"How about we call them in a few hours then? Putting a finger up to Jane's lips she stopped her from objecting. "Just a couple of hours Jane. Emily will kill you if you call her before seven, you know that."

With a light chuckle, Jane grabbed her hand and kissed it. "You're right of course…this case just has me on edge."

"I know it does, but I'm fine and Officer Henderson will be survive. Whoever is doing this is just trying to create terror."

"Well they're doing a great fucking job!" Lying back against the pillows Jane stared up at the ceiling dreading sleep and the nightmares that hid there. Maura sighed and pulled Jane's arm up to nestle against her chest.

"Sleep Jane, no more nightmares, tonight, I'm here…" Speaking softly against her chest she was rewarded with Jane's arm tightening around her.

"I won't let you be hurt Maura, not again." Maura let her have the last word as she felt Jane relax beneath her. She waited for Jane's breathing to even out before she let herself drift off.

**Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**

Madison Montes couldn't stop shivering and the cold was biting into her from her fingertips to her nose. The rope around her neck pulled at her and as she was yanked across the grass she wondered why no one was around to help her.

The satisfaction he felt as he watched the life leave her eyes filled him with warmth that defied the cold. With a smile he got off and brushed the snow off his pants, it was almost dawn. Pulling his rifle out of its sling he checked the sight, locked and loaded it. He looked around briefly before settling on a spot to fire from. Now came the fun part. He would wait patiently, more than prepared for the cold; he would wait to pick off another one. In his mind's eye he pictured the detective in charge of the case, Rizzoli, she intrigued him but he wanted to play for a while longer. He had watched her on the TV after his last little party, she was cocky, and he liked that. He may have find time to play with her later.

**xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**

Emily watched as JJ came into the conference room with a cup of coffee for her.

"Thanks hon," smiling JJ took a seat and waited as the rest of the team came in. Emily and Garcia had been reviewing the information they had received from the Boston Police Department just an hour ago.

"So, what do we have?" Morgan took a seat across from Emily and grabbed the file she passed him. Passing files to the rest of the team, she waited until they got settled before getting up and addressing them.

"I'm sorry to bring everyone in so early, but I received a call early this morning from Jane."

"Rizzoli?" Morgan shook his head and started reading through the file.

"Yes Morgan, apparently Boston has a problem that they believe we can help with." Emily didn't tell them about her whole conversation with Jane, or the nightmare she'd had. The fact that Jane had called at all told her just how stressed she was. As much as she trusted her friends at the BAU, Jane was still Detective Rizzoli and she didn't normally play nice with others. This case though was starting to get national exposure and after four officer shootings at the sites where bodies had been found, she knew they needed outside help.

"Where are the bodies being found?" Rossi tapped the file with his forefinger.

"Each body has been found either at a local historic site or close to. The victims are young, college students, two male, two female, all four were criminal justice majors, and only two were in the same classes. They haven't been able to find more of a connection. They were found beaten and strangled and wearing only their undergarments. One suffered frostbite before being strangled."

"Jesus it's the middle of February." Morgan tried to imagine being outside in nothing but his underwear in the middle of February in Boston, and shivered.

"Our unsub is definitely sending a message with the state they are being found in, what about the shootings?" Reid looked up from the file he had finished reading, "they certainly don't seem to be random."

Hotch cleared his throat, "All four shooting victims have been officers at the site. Two didn't survive and the last victim is what prompted this invitation if I'm not mistaken."

Emily smiled grimly at him and nodded. "Maura, Dr Isles, was standing next to him when he was shot."

"No wonder Jane invited us." Morgan looked at Hotch expectantly.

"Wheels up in thirty people, Garcia, you're coming with us."

"But…"

"No buts, I need you working with Frost there in real time, Kevin can handle things here." Hotch raised an eyebrow when he saw her expression.

"Problem?"

"No sir, just, you'll have to tell Kevin, we're not talking to each other right now." Garcia crossed her arms in front of her and glared at him.

"Can everyone excuse us please." Hotch waited for everyone to leave before he continued, "What's the problem Garcia?"

"Sir ever since…well ever since I made my intentions known where he is concerned he has done nothing but try to insinuate himself into everything I do and make snide remarks followed by flowers or candy. I do not want to work with him sir."

With a deep sigh Hotch considered the woman in front of him. Ever since she fell in love with Jordan Rivera her confidence had grown, so much so that she no longer cared about letting anyone down gently. She was her own woman and one that he respected; if she was uncomfortable it was definitely with reason.

"Garcia, I need you on site and I may need him here. For the time being, I'll bear in mind what you've said but if need be utilize Frost. If there is anything that comes up I want to know about it immediately, understood?"

"Yes sir." Walking out she nodded to both Emily and JJ on the way out. They knew what was going on and had asked her to talk to Hotch about it. They were glad she finally had.

"You good PG?" Emily's concern was noted and appreciated.

"I'm good," she had spoken to them about Kevin and about how Jordan wanted to come in to 'straighten him out' "we ready for our trip?"

JJ picked up her bag and pointed at Emily's, "Always."

**Yes folks I found us another nut job…just remember the title of the story and everything is not always what it seems…. Let me know if you liked it…more reviews = quicker updates.**


	2. Chapter 2 Peekaboo

**A/N: I know, I know….I'm so sorry…life kind of got in the way and my muse kept making left turns into other stories but the bitch is back! (Not me, my muse) **

The BAU jet was just about to touch down when Emily got a text from Jane. Curious JJ laid a hand on her shoulder as she sat down. "Who is it?"

"Jane, there's been a report of another body. On the Commons, in front of one of the statues." She looked at Hotch but it was Reid who spoke up.

"Which statue?" Reid asked.

"Washington, why?" Emily didn't understand the significance.

"Well there are a number of statues throughout the commons and some offer a better vantage point for someone trying to line up a shot." Sometimes Reid's matter of fact way of answering a question made them all forget how out of the box his thoughts sometimes were, to their benefit.

"Let Jane know we'll head there directly." Rossi looked at Hotch who nodded in agreement.

"Are there officers on site already?" Morgan asked.

Emily looked up from her texting, "no, according to Jane the call was routed to her directly, an anonymous caller called in the body."

"That's because the unsub is waiting. Waiting for his targets to show up." Derek shook his head at the idea. They had a worked a similar case a while ago where the unsub was shooting first responders on the scene in New York but this was different, it had a different feel. "We're a bout to give him new targets to pick from aren't we?"

"Exactly." Hotch said, "vests on people, we'll be touching down and heading out. Emily, let Jane know we're on our way."

**Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**

Jane smiled at the text from Emily and looked at Korsak. "They just touched down, they're going to meet us there."

Grabbing his coat he shrugged into it, "What about Dr. Isles?"

"What about her?"

"Are you okay with her coming to the scene?"

"No, I'm not but she and I have discussed it and she promised to stick close to us. I want all vantage points cleared and patrolled. Whoever this is I don't want them having a free shot at any of us. And, I want everyone wearing a vest."

His eyebrows shot up at that, Jane hated wearing a vest especially responding to the scene of a homicide. "What?" she said, "Are _you_ willing to take a chance that you aren't his next target?"

"No, I'm not."

"Alright then," Jane quickly dialed Maura's cell and explained what was going on. "Grab Frost on the way, I'm gonna grab my extra vest for Maur."

Korsak's surprise at her last comment was directed at her retreating back as she headed to her locker to grab the vest, she hadn't mentioned the vest to Maura on the phone. Knowing the danger, he hoped Maura didn't mind wearing Jane's bulky vest, though even if she did, I think she would be hard pressed to convince Jane about letting her get away with not wearing one after that near miss.

**xxxxxxx**

"Jane I am not wearing a vest," exasperated Maura pushed the vest back into Jane's hands. They had been at this for almost five minutes.

"Yes you are Maura." Maura's argument that it impeded her movement was a valid one since the vest was constructed for her measurements and not Maura's but, "its too dangerous not to wear one right now…please."

Maura looked up at Jane's plea, surprised to find the naked fear in her eyes. The nightmare had affected her more strongly than she thought.

"Jane, I…"

"Maur…"

"Fine…" taking the vest back from her she was glad at least that it would be under her coat. "You do realize that this doesn't mean I'm safe." Casting her eyes at Jane she saw her shoulders tighten.

"Yeah I know, but it gives me a little peace of mind, okay?" Angry for being emotional about the whole thing, Jane turned away from her. "You ready?"

Placing a kiss on Jane's cheek as she passed her she nodded, "I'm ready ma'am!"

"Really Maur? You know I hate being called ma'am" Jane grabbed Maura's bag and took her hand "come on, Korsak's waiting."

**xxxxxxxxxxx**

The body was visible at the base of the statue and Jane had to stop Maura from just walking out to it.

"Maura what the hell do you think you're doing?" She couldn't believe Maura was so ready to become a target.

"My job Jane, send someone with me if you have to." She started to pull away from her.

"No, Hotch asked us to wait till they got here. They're already enroute." Seeing the look on her fiancée's face, "Maura a couple of minutes won't really matter will it?"

Korsak and Frost exchanged glances as the officers they were with shuffled around uncomfortably.

Maura glared at her for a few moments before relenting, "Jane Rizzoli I will do as you ask, for now, but we will be discussing this later."

Jane grinned at her knowing she'd won, "Yes ma'am!" her mock salute silenced Maura's retort and the small smile she gave her was enough to ease her mind.

Korsak looked at his watch, "where the hell are…here they come." He watched as two non-descript black SUV's pulled up behind Jane's car. The first person to exit was Emily Prentiss. She shivered in the cold and watched as her teammates got out before heading over to Jane.

This was a formal police setting, not the last time they had seen each other as friends, so Emily extended her hand and smiled broadly at her friend, "Detective…"

"SSA Prentiss…" shaking her hand she shook her head as the rest of the team approached. "I believe everyone knows each other, correct?" At the nods and small grins all around she looked at Hotch.

"The call was patched directly to me, an anonymous caller. With this snow, there doesn't look like there's been anyone here in a couple of hours."

Hotch knew what she was thinking, it was exactly what he was thinking, "The Unsub called it in."

"Most likely," Jane said, "we have officers all around the park trying to spot any evidence of anyone hidden trying to take a shot at us, but there are just too many vantage points."

"Understood, it's a risk no matter what." He looked around at his team, glad to see everyone had put their vests on under their jackets. The last time they had faced a situation like this a friend, a close friend had died because of his order regarding first responders. They didn't know enough about this Unsub yet. They could expect gunfire, that much was a constant but with the police presence someone was sure to spot him.

"We got this Hotch" Derek squeezed his boss's shoulder as he walked past him, he knew exactly where Hotch's thoughts had gone, so did everyone else on the team.

"Hey," Jane interrupted, "are we good?" She could tell there was something else going on but figured now probably wasn't the best time to bring it up.

"We're good, Prentiss, you and Morgan and Rossi head out and check the body with Detective Rizzoli. JJ I want you and Reid keeping an eye on our team," JJ nodded, as the sharpshooter on the team she had a better eye than most, and keeping Reid with her gave her an extra pair of analytical eyes that could look at multiple vantage points at a glance.

"Sir?"

"Garcia I want you to stay here, Frost!" Motioning the younger detective over, "access the cameras, yes detective I know there are cameras throughout the park, there may be something that was caught by one of them. Hopefully our Unsub is unaware of them." Hotch walked away and headed toward the body at the base of the statue where Dr Isles was already doing her assessment.

"Maura come on…" Jane's exasperation was almost funny, almost. "Cause of death is like the others right?"

"Jane so help me…sorry," she looked at those gathered, "The cause of death 'appears to be strangulation' however," she held up a hand as Jane was about to speak, because of the bruising around the face and upper body, not to mention to cold, it could be a number of things that contributed to her death." Satisfied that she got her say she stood up.

Derek Morgan only half listened to what she was saying. He had felt a chill go up his back when they had reached the victim and he couldn't quite shake the feeling that they were being watched. Looking around him he scanned the park. "_Damn there were a lot of places to shoot from and no one would ever be the wiser."_

Pulling out his cell he speed dialed, "Hey baby girl…no listen, you have current access to the cameras? Okay run the cameras from the east end of the park…just a feeling, let me know what you find." Hanging up he was surprised when Korsak patted him on the shoulder.

"You feel it too don't you? Eyes on you…whoever this bastard is they know their way around. We haven't been able to find anything yet. This weather hasn't helped either."

"Well hopefully this cold screws up his aim." Derek scanned the park again, "The Unsub doesn't start shooting until about thirty minutes in right?"

"Yeah, that's been the pattern so far, but this time we didn't respond on scene right away."

Derek looked at him, "what do you mean?"

"We were told to wait for you." Korsak realized where his thoughts were headed, "shit…its been almost thirty minutes already." He quickly jogged back to the group and spoke quickly to Jane.

Morgan kept scanning the park. It was partly sunny so he had a good view and with no one out really he could spot movement, if there was any.

The flurry of movement at the scene involved an irate Dr Isles being forcibly removed from the scene as her technicians took the risk of moving the body. Jane had finally convinced her to leave the scene when a shot rang out.

"Goddamit! Everybody down!" Jane cursed as she realized they had run out of time. Looking over toward the cars she saw JJ walking toward them gun drawn, scanning the direction the shot had come from.

"JJ stay back!" Emily's fear for her partner outweighed her professionalism but she knew the shooter wasn't averse to taking out anyone at the scene. She understood Jane's nightmare. It was her own where JJ was concerned.

Waving a hand she pointed, "the hill!" she yelled, ducking as another shot was fired. She could tell it was from a high-powered rifle and the hill was at least 150 meters away. Whoever it was, they were good.

One of the officers assisting the techs remove the body panicked, as simple as that and got up and started running.

"No!" Jane's shout went unheeded as he continued to run, only to be picked off just short of where JJ was. Jane could hear Korsak calling for more officers at the scene and calling for an officer down. Standing up she ran toward the fallen officer, ignoring Maura and Hotch's calls. Dropping down next to him she turned him over, he couldn't have been more than twenty-two, so new he squeaked. His eyes stared at her blankly. He had worn his vest, but the bullet that pierced his back had penetrated the layers of his clothing and his vest. She angrily wiped the tear that rolled down at the thought of that young life lost. Turning around she scanned the park knowing he was gone, again.

**Xxxxxxxxx**

Laughing he watched the news rebroadcast of the events that unfolded on the Boston Commons. If that officer hadn't stood up, he wouldn't have had a shot, but the fear he was provoking was causing even the police to act irrationally, he loved it!

That Detective though had been bold, standing up after he had shot the officer, daring him to shoot her. He didn't like that, didn't like that at all. And who were all those other folks. He didn't remember seeing them at the police station. He would have to find out a little more about them, especially that blond, she had called out where he was. How did she know? Who was she? There was a lot for him to do but for now he was planning to just keep replaying the news cast and wait to see what Rizzoli and the Boston PD had to say about him. Then he would just have to find out for himself.

**xxxxxxxxxx**

"Its not your fault Jane." Maura tried to offer words of comfort but they felt hollow even to her.

"He was a rookie Maura, he shouldn't have been there." She slapped the desk and got up.

"He was a police officer Rizzoli, he panicked, and no one could've seen that coming." Morgan spoke quietly from the other end of the conference table. They were a subdued group. Jane and Korsak had notified Officer Weller's family and his mother had broken down in Jane's arms.

"This guy is ballsy, that's for sure" Frost had been shocked by what had happened and even more shocked when Jane had stood up in the middle of it to go to the fallen officer. He knew she would be getting an earful from Maura later.

"Ballsy or no, JJ spotted him." The fact that she had spotted him had given them their first concrete piece of evidence. A bullet casing whose origins they were currently trying to track.

"How about the video, anything on the cameras?"

Garcia nodded, "we might have something but there is a lot of footage to go through,"

"I'll help with that," Frost said.

"Fine, the rest of us need to look at this case from the beginning and see if we can't create a viable profile. We need something to work with before another body turns up." Rossi took the file from Korsak and sat down with it.

Maura rose and headed for the door, "I'm going to finish my autopsy, the young girls parents are coming in an hour" she said quietly, she glanced at Jane before heading out knowing that Jane was sure to be present when they came.

"Rizzoli, let me buy you a coffee." Derek gestured toward the door with a smile.

Sighing Jane followed him, "only because I'm thirsty," she grumbled.

"Sure, sure…" Morgan winked at Emily before leaving with Jane. As a former police officer himself, he wanted to be able to talk to her about what had happened. He knew how she felt, and knowing the kind of person she was, he didn't want her doing anything foolish. Derek knew JJ and Emily would follow them shortly to add their own form of support but right now, Jane needed to hear from a fellow officer. They'd come a long way since they met and he respected her as much as the people he worked with. She didn't deserve to blame herself this way.

JJ sat down and pulled the other copy of the file, as a new profiler her eyes were sometimes sharper than everyone else's she hoped she could spot something the Boston Police Department might have missed.

**Not to short, not to long…no worries already working on next chapter just wanted to pause there. I'd love some feedback about our Unsub, what are your thoughts, if any….**


	3. Chapter 3 Full Metal Jacket

**A/N: Here you go folks, hope you enjoy and thank you again for the alerts, follows, favs and just for reading…your humble bard, honorcpt.**

"I hear you Derek, I do, but it doesn't change the fact that a young officer is dead and we still have a killer on the loose."

Morgan heard the anger and frustration in her voice and understood, but getting herself killed wasn't going to help anything either. "That we do, but you need to remember we are all here to help. Walking into the line of fire isn't going to help anything you know."

Jane opened her mouth to respond and picked up her coffee instead. Taking a sip she looked at the big man in front of her. "I know, that was stupid, but when I saw him go down…"

"I get you, I do, but follow your head Rizzoli, not your heart in this, especially if you don't want the Doc to give you a talking to." His bright smile at the thought made her chuckle.

"Yeah I already saw the glare that Maura threw my way, I'll be getting an earful later." Jane took another sip and thought about the circumstances surrounding this case. She was glad she called in the BAU, already they had more than they had been able to get in the previous homicides. Unfortunately this killer also had more targets to pick from now.

Morgan sat back and watched Jane as she thought through the case. This one was hitting close to home for her he knew. She was tough, a hell of a cop but Dr. Isles was her Achilles heel. If their Unsub ever found that out…

"Hey!" Morgan stood up as Emily and Rossi came up to the table. "Have a seat." Pulling over an extra chair, he pulled it out for Emily.

"Jane, you okay?" Emily took a seat and looked at her friend. The strain and stress she was under showed in her face. The dark circles under her eyes told her Jane hadn't been sleeping well.

"I'm not the one who was shot." She said sarcastically. Seeing Rossi's raised eyebrows, she apologized. "I'm sorry, this case just has me a bit out of sorts right now"

"Which is why you called us," Rossi said, "am I right?" at her nod he continued. "You think you've missed something don't you? Jane, we've reviewed the file you know, you've done everything right"

Slapping her hand on the table she stood up abruptly. "If we've done everything right, why are there two more dead people in the morgue!"

"Jane…"

"No Emily, look I'm sorry okay, but I need to get some air." They watched as Jane left them and headed for the stairs. They knew where she was going, to the only person who could calm and center her, Maura.

"I have a really bad feeling about this case." Derek looked at the Rossi and Emily, "something seems really off."

"I know, almost personal, I'm hoping JJ and Reid find something everyone has missed." Emily drummed her fingers on the table as she looked at the two pensive men.

**xxxxxxxxxxxx**

Jane watched Maura as she worked. Bent over wearing her black scrubs, she looked so small. Closing her eyes tightly she tried to get the image of Maura bleeding out in her arms out of her head. After what had happened with Reggie in DC, Jane knew that she had been more than over protective of Maura but she had been able to camouflage it in different ways, until now. The near miss the other day, the nightmare and now this…she felt…helpless. Helpless to protect the woman she loved more than anything in this world. She didn't know if she made a sound or if Maura could just sense that she was there, but she was suddenly staring into Maura's concerned eyes from just a few feet away.

"Jane? Are you alright?"

Clearing her throat, which had suddenly tightened up, "I'm fine hon, really…" she squeezed Maura's forearm and walked over to their victim. She was young, probably another college student. Shaking her head, Jane turned to find Maura standing right next to her.

"What is it?" Maura wasn't happy with Jane's actions earlier when the shooting started, but she knew now was not the time to bring it up. Jane was tense, on edge and she knew that the nightmare Jane had was playing a part in her mood as was everything that had happened to them all in the past year.

"Did I do the right thing Maur? Calling in the BAU? I mean … Oh hell I don't know what I mean anymore." Walking away she was surprised when Maura stopped her.

"Jane you did the right thing. This is the first big case since…well since you came back to work. I know how hard you've worked, all of you and you're no closer to figuring out who is doing this today than you were a week ago."

"But we are, now, JJ spotted someone and now we at least have a shell casing. Whoever it was didn't have time to pick them up before running. It's already made a difference." Running an agitated hand through her hair she turned back to her. "I made the right call."

"Yes you did" Maura spoke quietly knowing Jane was trying to reaffirm her decision. She had on a deep level doubted herself since she had been almost killed by yet another bad cop. All Maura could do was support her and her decisions, most of them. "Except when you ran out while there was still shooting going on…"

Rolling her eyes Jane grinned at her fiancée, she was going to be here for a while.

**xxxxxxxxxxx**

Frost read through the preliminary ballistics report and shook his head, 5.56mm round, military grade, "What the hell?"

"What?" Garcia's glasses were askew as she raised her head from the computer screen. Fixing them she looked at Frost who had been reviewing the video surveillance from the park with her. "What's that?"

"Preliminary ballistics report, looks like it was a military caliber round."

"Really?" Her voice rose an octave and she turned her full attention on him.

"Yeah" seeing her interest he squinted at her "why? Does that mean something to you?"

"No…well maybe…its just that…" Garcia looked at him. "You know about Jordan right?"

"You mean do I know that I don't stand a chance with you anymore?" he laughed, "yeah I know, why?"

"Well Jordan was in the army before she became a probation officer, military police actually, she was talking to me about it just the other day when I found some pictures of her. She was apparently, quite proficient with an M-16, best in her company, I remember her saying something about 5.56mm…a quote from a movie."

"Get out…" Frost was surprised. Garcia seemed so mild mannered and well…peace loving. He couldn't imagine her with someone like that.

"Uh huh…surprised me actually. We talked a lot that day," Garcia looked pensive as she spoke, Jordan had told her more than she wanted to hear, and it had shocked her initially. The Jordan she loved wasn't that person anymore. "She told me about her tour in Iraq" Garcia said the last quietly, mostly to herself.

Frost didn't know whether to say anything or not. It sounded like whatever they had discussed bothered her, luckily he didn't have a chance to say anything.

"Hey Pen, you find anything yet?" JJ peered over Garcia's shoulder at the computer monitor that was playing the video feed from the park.

Distracted now, "Hmm…oh no, not yet, sorry…Frost has some news though." Turning back to the video feed Pen didn't see the look JJ gave her.

JJ turned her attention back to Frost, "So, what do you have?"

"The preliminary ballistics report. Military caliber." Looking at Garcia he continued, "this perp may have a military or Para-military background." JJ motioned for him to follow her.

Once out of earshot, "what's going on?" she said.

With a quick glance at the tech analyst, he turned to JJ, "Garcia was just telling me a little about Jordan." At her questioning look he continued with a sigh, "I mentioned the caliber and such and she brought up that this Jordan had been in the military."

"Yes, we all know that," with a quick glance toward her friend, JJ turned her blue-eyed gaze on him, "Is that it?, Why does she look like she lost her best friend?"

Lowering his voice, "Garcia said something about Jordan having been in Iraq and then you walked over…thing is I don't think she was really talking to me, you know?"

Pursing her lips, JJ nodded "thanks Frost, follow up with that report and make sure Korsak and Hotch see it will you?"

"Sure" She watched the younger man walk away and turned back to her troubled friend.

"Pen? You okay?" Tentative, she took a seat next to her.

Smiling brightly Garcia tried to hide the tears that had gathered in her eyes, "I'm fine!"

"Geez Pen…come on you're not fine," looking around the room JJ saw only one other officer working on some paperwork. "What's going on? Did something happen with you and Jordan?" JJ knew that they had been seeing each other exclusively and had had more than one conversation with Pen about whether they would officially be moving in together or not.

"Its nothing sweetie, just…" Hotch's entrance halted her words.

"Garcia anything yet?" He had the preliminary report that Frost had given him in his hands.

"No sir!" Turning back to the screen he missed her wiping at her eyes and turned to JJ. "Call Emily and Morgan back here, I want to discuss these preliminary findings so far. Frost, can you call Detective Rizzoli and Dr Isles please?" Without waiting for a response, he left.

Sighing, JJ texted Emily and Morgan both, then looked at Garcia who had hunched herself back over the monitor.

JJ shook her head, "What the hell…" she muttered.

**Xxxxxxxxxxx**

Jane looked at her text from Frost, "Come on Maur, they need us upstairs." She watched as Maura finished noting her findings in the file and peeled off her scrubs. Their conversation had been a long one and very one sided. Jane knew she deserved it after what she had done but Maura had a way of making her feel guilty with just a look and she had given it to her.

"Are we good Maur?" Jane took her hand, needing to know.

"We're fine Jane, just remember you're not alone in this, you made the right call and don't ever do what you did again," the last she said sweetly with a steel undercurrent.

Jane opened her mouth to object and stopped at her look, "K" Jane hated to lie to her but it was case by case. She was after all, a cop, if she had no choice, she _would_ do it again.

**xxxxxxxxxxx**

JJ looked at the response she received from Emily and smiled, she always finished her texts to JJ with TA, for Ti Adoro. Biting her lip she glanced at Garcia again, her usually bright and cheery friend was not herself. JJ could see the barest outline of the scar on her chin and cheek from a bullet that was meant to take her life not so long ago. They had all been through so much this past year and while she knew that Pen loved Jordan, something was bothering her and she really didn't seem willing to talk with everything else going on. But they needed her focused, and with that thought in mind, she texted Jordan with a simple message. "_Call me in thirty minutes or so, it's about Pen." _Knowing Jordan, the half hour wait was going to make her crazy but something was up and as Garcia's best friend she was determined to find out what was bothering her, and who better to ask than her girlfriend.

Grabbing some incidentals, she headed for the conference room that Hotch had turned into his office for the time being. "Military issue…" she thought, it nagged at her, but JJ couldn't figure out why.

Brandon watched the FBI folks leave the table and cleaned up after them. He had overheard part of the conversation and had tried not to laugh as he realized how crazy he was making Detective Rizzoli. Putting the cups on his tray he carried it to the back and put them in the sink before removing his apron and walking out. As an employee at the coffee shop and son of a cop, he had free run of the place. It helped that his dad was dead. Everyone figured they owed him, and they did. It was their fault his father was dead and their fault that his father didn't have proper backup at that robbery. He had learned a lot in the past year, about how the police worked. They talked freely in the coffee shop, too freely. Plus, he had done his homework. His application to the academy had been denied when he failed his psychological exam, but that hadn't stopped him from applying for a criminal justice degree. The police themselves were paying for his education through the Fallen Officer's Fund.

"What a joke," he thought. With a hard smile at a passing rookie, he pushed his way out of the precinct. His father had taught him how to shoot. After he died he had taken his father's army rifle and made it his own. It was better now and so was he. He hit whatever he aimed at and pretty soon he'd be realigning his sights…there were targets everywhere.

**xxxxxxxxx**

Jordan read the text from JJ and frowned, "a half hour? What was wrong with Pen?"

Closing the file she had been reading she grabbed her coat, "I'm taking a break, I'll be back." Calling to the front desk she gave them a quick heads up that she wouldn't be in her office for a bit.

Taking the stairs, she pushed the exit door open and looked around before making the decision to head to Starbucks. Hands shoved deep in her pockets against the cold, she wondered what was going on. Her first thought had been to call Pen, but she had stopped herself. If JJ had texted her it was obviously something that Pen didn't want to talk with her about. Their relationship had started in a quite unorthodox way with Jordan being the target of a crazed killer, but once the hospitals had been gotten rid of, their relationship had progressed like any other.

Her friends had quickly become Jordan's friends, and they had all been present when Jordan Coyote had officially returned to the Drag King stage. Even Jane and Maura had come down for that weekend. Jordan's performance had surprised everyone especially Pen when she had been pulled up on stage by Jordan to dance with him to Pitbull's "I know you want me" It was the perfect song, with the perfect partner and it had let everyone present know in an instant that Jordan Coyote aka Jordan Rivera was officially unavailable.

After that weekend, they had practically lived at Jordan's apartment and it was there that Pen had seen some things that had made her want to know more about the person she had fallen for. So, they had spent a full weekend just talking to each other about their past. Jordan knew all about the hacking and Pen's parents and how she had traveled on the wild side for a while before ending up with the FBI. Pen had learned more about Jordan. Her family, who accepted her but didn't, her time in the military, in Iraq and her time as a Drag King.

Jordan knew that Pen had been uncomfortable with the talk about Iraq, but they had to talk about it since those were the pictures she saw. Jordan, decked out for a night mission as a loaner to another unit going on patrol. She was still on Inactive Reserve for another year and Pen had found all her gear stowed in a storage closet.

Sighing Jordan ordered her coffee and looked at her watch, another twenty minutes till she found out what was going on.

**So, some of you wondered if I was bringing Jordan into the mix…of course, Pen needs her. As to my unsub…what do you think? He's a bit…nutty, no? Comments please are appreciated.**


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: The story continues…I apologize for being lax but all of my stories have a distinct…flavor if you will…the muse will at times leave me for one or the other…your humble bard.**

"All right people, what do we have?" Hotch looked around the room at his team and the additions from Boston PD.

"Young male, Caucasian, in his twenties" Reid looked around as the others nodded.

"Some military or Para-military background" JJ said.

"A personal beef with the Boston Police Department" Jane's quiet words had them all looking at her. "Tell me I'm wrong."

"No Jane," Rossi looked around at the others, "we don't think you're wrong, in fact I think we need to start with any complaints there have been against the department in the past six months at least."

"Garcia, Frost," Hotch began.

"Already on it Hotch," Frost looked over at Garcia as her fingers flew across the keyboard entering the parameters they'd been given.

"JJ, did you get a look at the person you spotted?" Morgan hoped she saw more than she had stated earlier.

"No Derek, sorry, he had a hood on, all I saw was the direction he was headed and what looked like a rifle."

"Well we know what caliber he's using at least and where he was. Now we just need to figure out who the hell it is and why he's doing this." Morgan slapped his hand down for emphasis.

"I want to know what the connection is between the students and the police department." Emily glanced up from the file she was reading. "Why these students? According to Garcia the only thing they have in common is that they were all criminal justice majors." Scratching her head she went on, "There are too many questions. The sites where the bodies are found appear to be significant or not, and the multiple victims. What is this guy's ultimate purpose?"

"Fear." Jane stood up and paced as she continued, "he's getting back at us for something and we need to find out what before anyone else gets killed."

"I agree. Prentiss I want you and Morgan to go to the university our victims attended. Find out about the program they were in and whether there may be anyone with any information on our newest victim." Hotch read through the file quickly, "Rossi sit down with Detective Korsak and review the files that Garcia and Frost give you. Anyone in the past year who has had a personal complaint with the police department that Garcia can't exclude given the parameters we have."

"Hotch, what about Reid, Jane and I?" JJ drummed her fingers on the table and looked at her watch, knowing Jordan would be getting antsy about now.

"Dr Isles, I'd like you to provide the autopsy results on the other victims to Dr Reid. See if we can't find a common link that way." Hotch tapped the desk for a second, "Garcia, the officers that have been targeted so far, cross reference them with anyone who may have a personal beef with this department and see if we can't refine this even further."

"Yes sir" distracted, Garcia was already trying to filter through the information she had been able to gather.

"Hotch?" JJ glanced at Jane.

"Sorry JJ, Jane…JJ I'd like you to follow up with ballistics, see if we can't narrow the origin of that bullet further. Detective, I'd like to talk to you for a few minutes before you go anywhere please." Hotch's searching look made Jane sigh. She hated being spoken to about her attitude but she did respect Hotch and she knew what he was going to say.

"Sure" Jane took a seat and smiled at Maura as she left with Reid. She smiled as she watched Emily squeezed JJ's hand on the way out. Turning back to him she raised an eyebrow. "so?"

Sighing heavily Hotch shook his head, she was definitely worse than Emily. "So, I need to know that you can be objective Jane. I know about the nightmare" Raising his hand he stopped her. "Emily didn't want to tell me, but I was a bit curious as to why you called her directly, so I'm asking you again, can you be objective?"

"Hotch if you're asking me to keep my emotions out of this, I can't and I won't. It's who I am. Do I worry? Hell yes I do, about Maura, my team and hell, now all of you too." Agitated she stood up and glanced at Frost and JJ who were pouring over some data. "Someone is targeting the Boston PD, so yes this case is very personal Aaron. I won't let it get in the way, but you need to know its there." Eyes flashing, she waited to hear what he would say.

"Relax Jane, I just wanted to see where you were, now I know, but remember, we are working together as a team, what happens to one of us, happens to all of us. Please keep that in mind."

"I will" Jane grabbed the file and headed toward Garcia to go through some of the complaints, maybe she could spot something, couldn't hurt.

Garcia started at the feel of Jane's hand on her shoulder, "hey woman, its just me." Smiling Jane sat down next to her friend.

"Sorry, I guess I was just a little preoccupied" Pen gave her a small smile.

File forgotten, Jane moved her chair closer, "you okay? Is it this case?"

"No, its nothing Jane…lets go through these complaints." Garcia turned back to her screen leaving Jane to wonder what was going on. Jane knew she wasn't any good at this but she persisted.

"Is it Jordan?"

Garcia's fingers hesitated for a fraction of a second over the keyboard but it was enough for Jane to notice.

"Hmm…I won't push Pen, but I'm here if you want to talk."

Garcia's arms around her neck surprised her. "Whoa…"

"You really are a cannoli." Garcia hugged her tightly, letting her know how much it meant to her that Jane cared.

"Oh lord…Pen…you're crushing me…and I'm _not_ a cannoli!"

"Hehe…crunchy on the outside, soft and gooey on the inside? Jane you being nice again?" Frost's laughter echoed through the conference room as he walked toward them.

"Oh for the love of…" Jane cracked a smile at the both of them. They had managed to lift her spirits and she had somehow managed to lift Garcias. "Come on, let's review this stuff before Hotch chastises us."

JJ grabbed her cell and walked away while Frost spoke with Jane and Garcia, seeing Jordan's number flash on her phone.

"Jordan?"

"JJ, is something wrong with Penelope? Has something happened?" Jordan's anxiety could be clearly heard through the phone.

"No Jordan, nothing's happened its just…well did something happen between you and Pen before we left?"

"Is she acting strangely?" Jordan tapped the table in front of her. She knew she should have pushed the issue with Penelope. They should have talked more. Obviously Jordan's background bothered her.

"Yes, even for her…what the hell is going on?"

Jordan explained what had happened and filled JJ in on her background and waited. "That explains a lot actually. Did you get to discuss it?"

"Not as much as I would have liked. She seemed okay but preoccupied. Did something happen though to make you text me?" Jordan knew there was more, there had to be.

"It's the case we're working on, something we found I think reminded her of the conversation with you and she can't seem to shake it. It's bothering her, a lot." JJ bit her lip trying to think of a way to remedy the situation and get Garcia back on track. They needed her focused, but Jordan took the issue away from her.

"I'll be there tonight."

"No Jordan you don't need to come up here, just call her, talk to her, ease her mind." JJ suddenly realized that she might have stuck her foot in it. She didn't want Garcia to know that she had gone behind her back to speak to Jordan.

"Relax JJ," Jordan's accent shown through whenever a word had an "x" in it. "Today is already Thursday, I'll just take Friday off and be there for the weekend. I won't be in the way; I'll just be there, for her. She takes others burdens on herself you know."

Smiling Jennifer Jareau realized just how well this person knew her friend and how much they loved them. "Fine, surprise her, it'll do her some good I'm sure." JJ knew their time together had been a bit sporadic due to the nature of their cases. "Just do me a favor okay, don't mention that we talked."

"My lips are sealed, see you tonight."

Jordan disconnected the call and leaned back in the chair. Her boss wouldn't be happy but she would work it out. She didn't have appointments tomorrow since Friday's were usually a field day for her anyway. Walking back to her office, she went through a mental checklist of what she needed to do to make one of the regular evening flights from D.C. to Boston.

**xxxxxxxxxxxx**

Brandon looked up as his class was interrupted. The woman who had come in was familiar and he smiled as he recognized the woman, excuse me, FBI agent he had seen with Detective Rizzoli in the café. She was pretty. Chuckling to himself he knew exactly what they were doing, following up on any possible connections his little playthings had. He knew exactly what the connection was, him, but he wasn't about to tell them that, not yet anyway.

Professor Long looked at the clock and realized there were only five minutes left in his seminar.

"Alright class, you all have your assignments for next week. I'm given you an extra five minutes to grouse amongst each other, but class is dismissed." The laughter and intermittent comments made his day as he turned to the FBI agent who had interrupted his class.

"I'm sorry you had to cut your class short sir"

"No worries, I'm sure they appreciate it. So what can I help you with? I can only assume that you are here assisting the police on the homicides? We've lost four students, awful…just awful…"

"Actually Professor Long, its five students, a new victim turned up this morning." Emily watched the shock that crossed his face and his body language, trying to gauge whether his shock was real or feigned.

"Who?"

"Madison Montes" she said and waited as the first thing he was about to say was quickly taken back.

"She was an excellent student, in this class actually, I wondered why she wasn't here today…" almost to himself, " she never missed class"

"You were going to say something else sir?" Probing gently, Emily wondered if there wasn't an emotional attachment to this student. She wasn't disappointed.

"I was her advisor." Smiling at the some the students who were shuffling past his desk he waited before speaking again. "And her friend." Seeing Emily's raised eyebrows, "no, no, not like that. We talked, she was a nice girl, loved the program but was a bit intimidated by everything she had to learn."

"Did she have anyone that she had a problem with?"

"Madison? No, everyone loved her, she was…she was a really nice." Clearing his throat he focused on Prentiss. "Was she killed like the others?"

"It seems so, but its still fairly early in our investigation. Would you mind sitting down with my partner and myself to discuss the other students? My understanding is that they were all in your class."

"Not at all, I'm free for the next two periods and my office is just down the hall." Grabbing his briefcase he turned a sad smile on her. "I hope you figure out who is doing this…soon"

Prentiss watched him leave and looked around at the students still in the lecture hall. She had the creeps; she could almost feel eyes on her and wondered if their Unsub was still in the room. There were seven students, all but one were male. She caught the eye of two of them before they turned away but the young man in the last row just smiled at her. Shaking her head she texted Morgan. He was in another classroom talking with a student who was under investigation by the Boston PD for an alleged sexual assault on one of their victims. They couldn't leave any stone unturned. Asking him to come join her she looked up at the last row again, but he was gone.

**xxxxxxxxx**

Brandon chuckled to himself, he had made the FBI agent uncomfortable, he liked that. Hoisting his bag higher on his shoulder he bumped into a wall of muscle.

"Whoa, slow down there man." Morgan put his hands on Brandon's shoulders to steady him.

"Let me go!" Pulling back he cursed himself for that instinctive reaction. "Sorry man, didn't mean to yell, I was…I was thinking about a paper that's due, you know?"

"Yeah no problem," Morgan looked him up and down. He was scrawny as Reid but hard, much harder and his eyes. The kid was smiling at him but his eyes sure weren't.

Quickly backing away, Brandon turned the corner and headed to his car. He couldn't believe he had just physically run into the other agent. He cursed himself for yelling realizing it would make anyone wonder but he hated to be caught unaware like that.

"Fuck!" He sped up, wanting to get as far away from the school as possible.

**xxxxxxxx**

"Emily?" Morgan interrupted as she finished speaking with one of the students. "So, anything?"

"I don't know, maybe, there was a student in here who…well lets just say he made my skin crawl a bit."

"You?" Morgan laughed, Emily was tough as nails and if someone bothered her like that there was definitely a reason.

"Yes me, I want Garcia to pull up the roster on this class. Run background checks on all of them. Something feels off."

"What about the professor?"

"I told him we would be by to speak to him. I think there's something he's not telling us about our last victim."

"Well then…" pulling out his phone, he dialed. "Baby girl! Yes we're fine we need some info on a Professor Long, Deviant Behavior and the Environment class. Yes…k…yes I'll tell her." Hanging up he turned to Emily.

"Tell me what?"

"To behave around the young college girls and to be careful."

"I always behave…"

"But you're not always careful"

**She's not is she? Nope, she's not…so…any wagers on who his first target will be?**

**By the way, the CM Profiler's Choice Awards are accepting nominations for 2012. **


	5. Chapter 5 profile

**A/N: I know, I know…sorry this has taken so long but I have multiple stories I'm working on and sometimes, this muse gets silenced by the others, but the bitch is back! (or butch, your preference)**

**Anyway, hope you're still with me, enjoy…**

Emily took the cup of water Professor Long handed her and smiled. He seemed a bit uncomfortable to be speaking with them but she could tell he wanted to speak with them.

"So, you had some questions?" Sitting down across from her he glanced at Morgan as he prowled around the office before settling on the window frame and leaned against it.

"Well, you said you were our victim's advisor and pardon me for saying so, but it seems like you were close."

"We were, same home town. Both from the Bronx." He reached over and grabbed a binder. Opening it, he pointed out his class schedule. "Your victims did have at least one thing in common agents, me."

Morgan stood up straight and looked at Emily.

"How so, sir?" Curious, Emily knew that this was new information and wondered why they hadn't connected their victims before.

"I'm actually teaching two more classes than I was supposed to, but the registrar still has the other professors listed in the catalogue and online." He smiled ruefully at them. "I realized once you told me about Madison that they were connected."

"Are a lot of the students taking the same group of classes?" Morgan asked.

"Just a handful I think, maybe eight or nine. I don't know them all yet though." Professor Long considered the agents in front of him and realized what they were saying.

"You think the killer may be one of the students?"

"We don't know yet but we aren't going to rule anything out." Emily followed up with a few more clarifying questions before getting up.

"Thank you professor."

"My pleasure, I hoped I helped. Have Madison's parents been notified yet?"

"I believe they were trying to get in touch with them." With a nod he walked over to his filing cabinet and pulled out a file. Pulling out a page he made a quick copy and handed it over.

"Her emergency contact info. All of her parent's alternate ways to contact…just in case." He shrugged, feeling helpless about Madison but hoping he had helped in some way.

"Thank you sir, we'll be in touch." Morgan took the sheet and pocketed it. He followed Emily out.

"So what do you think Prentiss?"

"He seems earnest enough, personally I hope he's not involved but we've been mislead before."

"The class info he gave us makes sense though, I'll have Garcia run with it once we get back." Morgan opened the driver side door and looked at his partner "Hopefully they've been able to find out something."

**xxxxxxxxxx**

Jane was pissed. They had been at this for almost two hours and gotten nowhere. They had followed up with ballistics and the amount of registered assault rifles was astounding. The unknown number not registered didn't bear thinking on, so they were focusing now on where to the bullets could have been bought. She had checked in with Frost and and Garcia and the complaints they were following up on, and while there were still some people they needed to speak to, it didn't seem like it was going to lead anywhere at all.

She jumped when hands suddenly squeezed her shoulders until she realized who it was.

"Hey hon," turning around she couldn't help but smile at the woman who had stolen her heart and promised a life with her. Just looking into her eyes calmed her. It was a revelation that had been hard fought.

With a quick peck Maura sat next to her, "anything?"

"No, Emily and Morgan are on their way back though, they might have something." Jane rubbed her and got up to get her fifth cup of coffee.

Maura watched Jane's posture as she walked away. She was exhausted. This case and the added stress of the worry over her were beginning to affect her. Sighing she wished she knew how to help beyond just being supportive. She knew having the BAU here was a tremendous help, but because of the personal connections with the team, an added stressor for her.

"Is Jane okay?" Reid took Jane's empty seat and sat next to his friend. They hadn't found anything that would help them at all. The ligature marks on the wrist of the last victim were fresh and she hadn't been reported missing, so events with her had transpired much more quickly than with the other victims.

"I don't know Spencer, she's sullen, tired and taking the burden on more than she should."

"Its her nature, but she knows she has support, she knows she has you." Looking at his watch he didn't realize how late it was already. They weren't any closer to finding out who their unsub was but he knew they would be taking a break soon. They had to.

Garcia tapped her chin nervously with her pen. She and Jane had gone through most of the complaints while Frost and JJ followed up on whatever they found. Still nothing. Now, she couldn't get in touch with Jordan and it was starting to worry her. It was rare for Jordan not to contact her during the day. Granted, Jordan knew she was working, but still there was always something, a hello, a smiley face, a texted 'Te amo'. It was going on 6:30pm and she hadn't heard from her.

"Hey baby girl, what's up?" Morgan came up behind her so quietly she dropped her pen.

"Derek Morgan you scared me to death!" she grabbed a pencil and threw it at him.

"Hey!" He swatted it just before it hit him. He could tell she was distracted but hopefully the information he and Emily brought back would get her back on track.

"Sorry…I'm sorry I thought you were still out with Emily."

"Yeah well we just got back. Hotch wants us in the conference room in five minutes, you coming?"

"Hmmm…" she had turned her attention back to her computer screen, "okay, just give me a second."

Derek shook his head, turned and almost ran into Frost, "Whoa sorry,"

"No problem, find anything?" Frost glanced over at Garcia and back to Morgan.

"Maybe, Emily's briefing Hotch right now. Meeting in five."

"Yeah I came over to let Pen know."

"She seems distracted, what's up?" walking side by side, they headed toward the conference room while Frost told him about her reaction earlier to the ballistics report.

Emily watched as the others took a seat and frowned when she saw Jane. She recognized the exhaustion and the expression on her face. With any luck they would get a chance to speak this evening. She saw the way Maura, even JJ looked at Jane with concern as everyone gathered.

She waited until almost everyone was seated before speaking, chuckling when Garcia came rushing in to take the last open seat, laptop in hand.

"Sorry Emily."

"Not a problem Garcia." She quickly went over what she and Morgan had found out from Professor Long.

"So there is a connection." Rossi reviewed the information in the file and noted the connection while Reid added the info to the board, running lines connecting their victims.

"Was there anything else?" JJ asked them both but her eyes on Emily.

"Well…" she glanced at Morgan before speaking, she thought it was nothing but. "There was a student there who…well he made my skin crawl."

JJ and Jane both sat up sharply at that.

"Did you speak to him?" Korsak didn't think anything affected Prentiss that way.

"No he was gone and I didn't get too good a look at him, but we have the class roster."

"Well this is definitely more than we had before." Hotch stood up and stood before the group. "I think we need a break for the evening." Speaking before Jane could object.

"Detective its been a long day for everyone. We need to be clear headed and well fed. That's not going to happen if we don't take a break. This is not optional people, at least two hours. We can touch base again before we go down for the night. Garcia, I want a news conference set up in time for the late night news. They can re-run it in the morning. We can let them know the campus police and Boston PD are on alert."

"You realize this news conference might be exactly what our unsub wants?" Morgan frowned at the thought. "I mean he's leaving his victims in very public places, regardless of the weather."

"We don't have a choice Morgan. The Chief of Police has requested that we give the public something, so we will." They all heard the unhappiness in Hotch's voice. He hated being pressured to do anything and the fact that Strauss had contacted him already about the lack of a press conference was not something he wanted to tell them just yet. This case was gaining national exposure quickly and they needed to stop this person in their tracks.

"Alright people you heard him, rest, eat, meet back here at 9pm." Rossi spoke to them all like he was their father, even Korsak's .

They all filtered out slowly and gathered in the hallway.

"What hotel are you all staying at?" Jane asked.

"The same one we stayed at last time, five minutes away." Morgan spoke for the team who nodded.

"How about dinner at the Dirty Robber, we can eat and go over some more before meeting back here. Half hour?" Jane was determined to keep working. She heard Maura sighing next to her but she ignored it.

"Half hour it is." JJ grabbed her buzzing cell phone and looked at the text. Responding she hit send before looking at the others. "Well? Times wasting, let's go. We can drop our bags, get cleaned up and meet you guys there in thirty."

**xxxxxxx**

"So what was the text about?" This was the first chance Emily had gotten to question JJ, who wasn't usually so secretive about her texts.

"Oh just a surprise for Pen…" she giggled when Emily ran her hand lightly across JJ's backside.

"A surprise, huh? That surprise wouldn't go by the name of Jordan would it?" Emily knew her girlfriend and the smug smile on her face told her she had guessed correctly. "So are you going to tell me what's going on?"

"Nothing just that Garcia is a bit distracted so I called Jordan. She decided to fly up here and at least spend the weekend. They had a talk about her past and I guess this case triggered that for Pen. I think it'll help." Sounding unsure now she wondered if she had done the right thing.

"Relax Jennifer, it sounds like a great idea." Kissing her softly on the lips, she felt JJ's response and deepened her kiss until she felt JJ pull back.

"Not that I wouldn't love to see where this goes Agent Prentiss, but we are supposed to meeting some folks for dinner, remember?"

Pulling JJ tightly against her, she could feel JJ's heart pounding in tune with hers. "Yes ma'am. But don't think I won't be picking this up again later."

"Oh I won't"

**xxxxxxxxxx**

Maura sat and smiled as Jane approached with their drinks. The briefing had actually left her a bit more relaxed and as much as Jane fought it, Maura knew she realized this break was exactly what the doctor ordered.

"Scoot over," placing Maura's glass of wine on the table, she leaned in and kissed her, not caring who saw.

Surprise shown on her face "What was that for?" she was tickled by the display, grateful for it.

"Putting up with me. I've been a grouse all day, I'm sorry" Jane tossed back half her glass of beer and looked at Maura earnestly. "I really am sorry."

"I know Jane. You have nothing to be sorry for, I'm just glad you're finally taking a break." Maura smiled as Korsak, Rossi and Frost took a seat.

"Where is everyone?" Rossi was surprised no one else from his team was there yet but he had hung back with Korsak.

"On their way." Tossing back the rest of her beer, she waved for another. Two was her limit tonight and she wanted them now.

"Here's Penelope, oh and everyone else."

Scooting over some more she made room for the others.

"Well, the gang's all here." Korsak smiled and waved to the bartender asking for a pitcher and glasses.

"Almost." JJ said.

"Almost? I thought Hotch wasn't coming?" Reid didn't know who else could possibly be missing.

"Garcia…Pen…you with us?" Morgan frowned, she was hugely distracted, not even bothering to joke around with him."

"I'm sorry Morgan, I guess I was somewhere else." Pen knew she needed to get her head on straight, they were counting on her but all she could think about was…

"Que te pasa querida?" Jordan's low voice made her squeal as she turned in her seat. She was here, in Boston.

"Jordan!" her seat clattered to the floor as she jumped out of it and into Jordan's arms. Their fierce embrace made them all smile, their kiss had most of them blushing.

"Ahem…excuse us but we haven't met," the twinkle in Frost's eyes made Pen laugh as she realized she had forgotten about everyone else. "I'm Barry Frost…you must be Jordan?"

Shaking his hand she smiled at the others, "I don't mean to interrupt but I was able to get tomorrow off so I thought I would surprise you," looking at Pen, "I hope that was alright?"

Taking her by the hand she grabbed a chair from another table and placed it next to her. "It is definitely alright."

Emily caught JJ's eye and nodded her approval. Everyone sensed the shift in Garcia's mood, which could only be a good thing.

Garcia finished making introductions and sat contentedly listening to the group discuss the case and actively joining in. Jordan sat listening, interjecting here and there, overall satisfied that she had made the right decision.

**xxxxxxxxxx**

Brandon sat in the back corner sipping his beer. He noticed the newcomer and counted in his head. So many new targets they were giving him. He watched the big man he had run into at the school laugh at something Rizzoli said. They were talking about him. He was sure of it. He wanted to go closer but he didn't want that agent seeing him. Where he was seated was perfect, by the kitchen door, in the shadows, he could see everything that went on at the Robber.

And he did, everyday. He listened to the officer's talk about their days and remembered his father. His father had promised to finish his training but he had died before he could do it. When he failed the psychological he had been embarrassed. His father would have been so ashamed of him. But now, he was the scourge of the Boston PD. Even his father would have had to bow down to him and his marksmanship. The way they would. Rizzoli through her arm around the M.E.'s shoulder and hugged her, leaning in to speak with the newcomer.

"Oh yeah…lots of new targets." Downing the last of his beer, he put his jacket on and brought up the hood before he left. He had business at the school. With any luck he would be taking that smile off Rizzoli's face and putting a target squarely on one of the people at the table. He would just have to see what opportunity presented itself.

**Of course he's a nutjob…what else would I offer here. So, any votes for who is his first target?**


	6. Chapter 6 Change Up

**A/N: Sorry for the wait folks, I have more than a few stories going, plus I'm working on my own original work. Again my apologies and I hear what you all are asking for in terms of the next target…**

Jane took in everyone seated around and for the first time in days, allowed herself to relax, just a fraction. Maura was right, she wasn't alone and she trusted these people with her life and Maura's. She just couldn't help feeling like the worst was still to come.

"I'm sorry what did you say?" She shook herself from her thoughts and focused on the person asking her a question.

"I said," Jordan smiled, "are you okay with my being here?" Garcia squeezed her hand at her words.

"Yes, of course…anything that keeps Ms. Penelope here on task is a positive in my book."

"Hey!" slapping Jane's arm Garcia looked at the others, "was I really that distracted."

"Baby girl you may have been here, mind and body, but your heart, that was somewhere else completely." Morgan patted her hand and smiled at the blush that crept up her face.

"I'm really sorry it was just…" she looked at Jordan for a second before continuing. They were family here and Jordan was part of that family. "I didn't realize how all of this bothered me until we got the ballistics report."

"I don't understand," Maura said, "why would that affect you and Jordan?"

Garcia looked at Jordan before speaking, "Jordan used to be in the Army and…" she didn't know what to say, looking back at Jordan she raised an eyebrow.

"Maybe I can explain." Jordan's voice took on a more serious tone as she squeezed Pen's hand reassuringly. "Penelope found some items at my apartment and I ended up telling her about my stint in the military. It was a discovery that bothered her…significantly."

"Why, what did you do there?" Reid couldn't see what the problem was.

"Doesn't matter kid." Rossi nodded with understanding. "Remember, Garcia is all about peace not war. I'm sure it came as a shock to her to find this out." Garcia's nod confirmed Rossi's guess.

"Yes it did, what bothered her most I think was what did." Seeing the questioning looks Jordan sighed. "My MOS was Military Police but, the unit I was with went on certain missions." Morgan raised his eyebrows at the comment as did Korsak.

"I'm sorry, I still don't understand." Maura looked around the table and saw comprehension dawning on some.

Jordan considered what she was about to say carefully. She didn't want to alienate them or make them uncomfortable, plus she wasn't that person anymore.

"Let's just say that in Afghanistan, anyone who is a really good marksman was…highly utilized." Understanding dawned on Maura and she looked quickly at Jane.

"Oh…so the ballistics report…"

"The same kind of weapon she used." Garcia said quietly.

"You think we're looking for a sharpshooter." Morgan said. "Or, maybe someone who trained as one with a serious beef against the police." He leaned over and patted Garcia's hand.

"You could have told us what was bothering you."

"No…no I couldn't, it wasn't my story to tell, besides, I didn't think it bothered me, I'm sorry Jordan."

"I'm sorry too querida, but I'm not that person anymore." Taking a drink she leaned over and kissed her. "You're okay now?" She smiled at Penelope's happy nod. Looking at the others she was glad to see questions, yes, but no judgment.

Jane saw the shock on Korsak's face regarding Jordan's revelation. He was old school military. Woman had different jobs back when he was in, now…

"You alright there Korsak?" Jane couldn't mask the laughter in her voice.

"Huh? Yes, yes of course." He glanced around the table, "I guess I'm not as progressive as I thought I was, that's all"

The general laughter eased everyone's spirits as they got back into why they were there. Sure they were taking a break as ordered, but that didn't mean that they didn't have a case to work, or discuss.

JJ nudged Emily in the shoulder, "Look…" Garcia was resting her head on Jordan's shoulder and looking more relaxed than they had seen her in a while. Morgan smiled at them seeing the same thing.

"So, what kind of a timeline are we looking at for this guy?" Frost brought them all back to earth. "He seems to be ramping things up and if he knows that we've called in help, won't he become more aggressive?"

Reid nodded, "It's quite possible, the issue becomes who and how he selects his initial victims and then, how he selects his targets, his police targets."

"Well I don't know about the rest of you, but I want to catch this bastard before he does anything else." Jane's fierce comment made them all blink.

"Jane you know…"

"Fuck…" running a scarred hand through her hair she slammed it on the table, "I know Morgan! I know…we may not have that option."

They continued to discuss options and theories while they ate. Jane was in more of a funk than she had been before. She had a bad feeling about this whole situation. She, they, were missing something, something important. She knew it; she felt it and she just hoped she figured it out before someone else died.

**xxxxxxxxxxxx**

The news trucks were scattered up and down the street in front of the precinct when they got back.

"Vultures…"Morgan said.

"They are doing their jobs Derek, you know that." Maura knew how upsetting this whole affair was and the idea of a news conference didn't sit well with her either.

"Yeah, well…" he muttered.

Jane walked into the conference room first and was immediately besieged by the press.

"Detective is it true that someone is hunting cops…"

"Detective Rizzoli, were you forced to call the FBI in?"

"Detective…"

Pushing her way past them she reached Hotch. "What the hell?"

"I know, they're a bit unruly." He was interrupted by JJ's voice over the mike.

"I'm sure everyone has questions and we wouldn't have called this conference if we weren't ready to give you some information. However, unless everyone takes a seat, we will consider this conference over." The scraping of chairs and voices drowned everything else out as the press vied for a seat close to the podium.

"Thanks JJ." Hotch's smile lit up his face. It was times like these that he missed the fact that JJ was no longer just their press liaison but also a profiler.

"Still feels natural to do that I guess." JJ caught Emily's eye and winked. Emily always loved seeing the blond in action, controlling a room full of people with her presence alone.

Hotch walked up to the podium and took a deep breath. He hated these press conferences, hated the questions, the assumptions. More than anything, he hated being forced to do it. Strauss was making a mistake. He knew it was certainty that he couldn't explain but he hadn't been given a choice. The unsub was sure to escalate his behavior after this. With a quick glance at Jane who stood stiffly beside him, he began.

**xxxxxxxxxxxx**

"Sonofabitch!"

"Jane please, calm down…" Maura looked worriedly at her and the others. The press conference had deteriorated into what Jane would call a "bitchfest" They actually had the nerve to jump to the conclusion that the vendetta against the Boston PD was the fault of one Detective Jane Rizzoli. That being in the public eye had made them all targets. One reporter had even had the nerve to accuse Jane of dragging her feet in the investigation to gain national exposure.

"Jane…Detective!" Hotch's voice resounded in the conference room. "Take a seat." He watched as she did and shook his head when Lt Cavanaugh decided to walk in at that moment.

"Rizzoli! What the hell were you thinking? You threatened a reporter for christs sakes." He was fuming; the commissioner's office had already called him twice demanding she be reprimanded.

"Sir…I…crap…" with her head in her hands she looked down at the table. What a cluster this was becoming. She had just gotten so pissed off at the questions they were asking and when that reporter had accused her of basically not doing her job, she had lost it. Looking up at him she kept a brave face, "so, am I suspended?"

"No and its not because they didn't want you to be. Jesus Christ Rizzoli I can't keep covering for you, you know that. You're on borrowed time. The brass wants to see results, especially since you called in the Feds." He waved a hand at them. "No offense but I was against this. I know I called you in the first time, but…" he looked over at Korsak, "we should be handling this one in house." That said he turned on his heel and walked out.

"Well" Rossi glanced at the rest of the team who seemed to be in shock by all that had happened. "That certainly could have gone better."

Emily could see how angry Jane was and how much it was costing her to hold her tongue. "Hey Hotch, we'll be right back." Grabbing Jane by the arm she forced Jane to follow her.

Once they made it to the elevators she let her go. "What the hell Em?" Jane rubbed her arm where she was sure Emily's strong grip was sure to have left bruises.

"You looked like you were going to blow in there." Emily's voice was low and steady. Jane let out the breath she had been holding.

"I was dammit." Pacing in front of the elevator she looked at her friend. "Thanks Em."

"Anytime my friend. So what now?"

"Now we hope that stupid press conference doesn't set this guy off.

**xxxxxxxxxxxxxx**

Brandon tied his classmate's hands behind him, slamming his face into the floor again as he struggled against him. Jonathan had pretended to be a friend to him and like the others; he would pay for playing with him like that. He knew just where to dump him too. There were plenty of places to set up for a good shot. Hitting Jonathan again he was glad when he finally stopped struggling. Maybe he wouldn't kill him just yet…He wanted more time to play with his targets. Staring at the rope in his hands and the unconscious young man in front of him he smiled broadly. "Oh yes, I know just what to do"…this will require a little more planning but he had a lovely surprise for Detective Rizzoli and her FBI friends.

Kneeling down he whispered into Jonathan's ear. "You have one chance, but one of them dies in your place."

**I know…how can I leave it there? It really was a natural break…I've already started the next chapter and hope to post it by Monday. Next up, my Fear story…**

**BTW More reviews=quicker updates a simple equation that really works**


	7. Chapter 7 Jordan

**A/N: Thank you for all the alerts, follows, and reviews...I hope you continue to enjoy this series, your humble bard**

Jonathan Harper was twenty-three years old and in his opinion to young to die. It didn't look like he was going to have a choice though. He knew Brandon from the two classes they took together and he didn't like him. He had tried to be friendly at least, but Brandon had definitely taken it the wrong way. He didn't know what he had done wrong to merit becoming his latest victim, but he had no doubt that he wouldn't be surviving this.

He was bleeding where Brandon had carved a message into his chest. He didn't know who the hell Detective Rizzoli was but he hoped she fared better than he was going to. The device attached to his body was rigged to explode if they tried to remove it. Brandon had laughed as he talked while attaching it all. Jonathan heard his words clearly "You better hope one of them knows what they're doing or you're dead." His sick, stupid laugh made Jonathan curse at him, which had earned him the carving on his chest.

He shivered uncontrollably as his core temperature dropped. It was barely freezing but sitting out here bare-chested he felt the cold in his bones. He was scared to move, scared to do much of anything, but he had to get help, he couldn't just lie there.

**xxxxxxxxxxxx**

Brandon watched Jonathan through his scope. He had left him where he was sure to be found fairly quickly. This would be his first night shoot, but after watching the news and the show that the police had put on he didn't want to wait. He smiled at the memory of Detective Rizzoli's face when she was directly questioned about the case. The press blamed her for what was happening, for what he was doing. It was amusing, funny even. He wondered what the press' reaction would be to his current little game. Looking down the scope again he settled in as the first red and blue lights appeared down the street.

"Time to pick my target…"

**xxxxxxx**

Emily and JJ got their things together and waited by the elevator for Garcia.

"Where's Jordan?" JJ looked down the hall surprised when Garcia showed up alone.

"Downstairs, she went for a cup of coffee." Pen adjusted the strap on her shoulder and pressed for the elevator.

"This late?" Emily looked at her watch and saw that it was almost midnight. Jane had gone to get Maura so they could leave together. Morgan and Reid had stayed behind with Frost and Korsak. They wanted to know what the outcome of Hotch's meeting with Cavanaugh would be.

"She's Latina, of course this late. Can you believe it, it relaxes her." Garcia's smile told them how content she was to have Jordan here.

Three cell phones buzzing at the same time made the women look at each other.

"What the hell?"

**xxxxxx**

"Come on Maura, they're waiting for us." The sound of Michael Jackson's Beat it rang through the morgue as Jane waited for Maura to grab her bag. Chuckling she reached for her phone "Yeah Frost? What? Wait; slow down…crap…K I'll be right there."

Jane wasted no time grabbing Maura's hand as she reappeared with her bag.

"What's wrong?" She winced at how hard Jane was squeezing her hand, "Jane stop, you're scaring me."

"We might have another victim." Stabbing at the elevator button she looked anxiously at Maura as she tried to keep her nightmare at bay. It hadn't even been twenty-four hours since the last one. Something had upset this guy's schedule and she couldn't help wondering if somehow she played a part in it.

Walking into the lobby she wasn't surprised to find the BAU team gathered along with some of BPD's finest. Frost passed Jane her vest while Korsak passed Maura her spare.

Looking at it with distaste she looked at Jane, "really?"

"Please Maur, for me…"

With a sigh she slipped it on, ignoring JJ's knowing look.

"What have we got?" Glancing at Jordan who was the odd man out she turned her attention to Frost.

"Dispatch received a call from a passerby on the commons. Someone yelling for help but they didn't see anyone." Frost looked at everyone, uncertainty in his eyes.

"So why do we think it's our guy?" Morgan was tired and the last thing he wanted to do tonight was chase his tail in the dark.

"We received two separate calls. We think one of them was our guy." Korsak continued. "He specifically mentioned the FBI and said they might be interested in the scene."

"Son of a bitch!" Emily couldn't believe the gall of this person. "Garcia…"

"Already checked sweetness, disposable phone, no way to trace it." Garcia's disappointment and concern was contagious. It was dark and dangerous and she did not want her family out there when there was a lunatic with a rifle picking officers off.

"We have to go…our units on the way?" Jane addressed herself to Korsak.

"Yeah, they've been told to stand by until we get there."

She knew what they were thinking. This was a setup, it had to be but it was also the first time they may have a live victim. They couldn't ignore that; all they could do was make sure that they were all as vigilant as possible. Jane looked around at everyone and nodded. "Let's go then."

Hotch watched as the team headed out. Garcia had asked him if Jordan could go along and he had said yes. As long as Garcia was focused, he was happy, however he had been adamant that Jordan remain in the vehicle with Garcia. As a civilian, he didn't need any more wrinkles to iron. Thankfully, Garcia had her laptop and she and Frost had already discussed tapping into the cameras around the location while they were on their way. Hopefully they would spot something. Rossi had asked to stay behind to review the information they did have. He had a hunch they were missing something and Hotch was more than willing to allow the older man to follow up.

Emily and JJ pulled up in their SUV just as Jane and Maura arrived. Frost and Korsak pulled in behind them.

"Where's Morgan and Garcia?" Jane didn't see the other SUV.

"They got caught by the light, they're…here they are." JJ waved at the arriving vehicle.

Jane walked over to the officer on the scene for an update.

"We have what looks like a body at the base of the fountain. Our witness said they heard someone yelling for help and called it in. They didn't go any closer."

"Great…" Jane ran her fingers through her hair and quickly pulled her hair up in a ponytail. "How many officers do we have in the area?" The others joined her as she posed her question.

"8 with two more cars on the way. They're covering the entrances. The lighting sucks over there Detective, anyone going over there with a light is going to make a heck of a target."

"Rizzoli, Prentiss and I will go." Morgan quickly tried to set the tone. Time was short if they had a live victim and Jane was still.

"Absolutely not Morgan. This is still a BPD matter. You can accompany me but I'm going." Jane walked back toward the others and missed Morgan roll his eyes.

Stubborn as hell, that's what she was, Morgan looked at Emily and shrugged his shoulders, "I tried."

"I know, come on before she goes without us." Emily looked around and sensed again what she had felt when she had gone to the campus. They were being watched, even now.

"Korsak, you're with us. JJ, can you keep eyes on again?" Jane had complete confidence in JJ's ability to stop anything out of the ordinary. "Frost, work with Garcia please tie into the cameras and find us something please." She put the mic that Emily handed her into her ear and turned to Maura.

"We haven't confirmed a body yet Maur. I need you to stay here."

Maura wanted to argue but the look on Jane's face told her now was not the time. "I'll stay back with Jordan, maybe Pen can use an extra set of eyes."

Jane thanked her without saying a word. She would have preferred that Maura stay back at the precinct but she knew better than to even suggest it.

Morgan looked around as they walked to the site. The officer was right, the lighting sucked but as they got closer to the fountain, he could see the lights around the area illuminate a spot by the main walkway. Shivering he turned his collar up. It was cold and there was still snow everywhere.

They walked toward the area slowly, keeping eyes on their surroundings.

"JJ anything?" Emily spoke into her mic.

"No…be careful, I don't have clear sight of you."

"Got it…"

"Holy shit…" The sight before Jane shocked her. The young man was trussed up at the base of the lamppost. He was in his underwear and his chest was bloody where words appeared to have been carved. His eyes were closed and it was impossible to determine whether or not he was alive. Jane looked around and moved closer.

"What did you find?" Frost's voice came over their mics. Jordan, sitting next to Garcia as her fingers flew over her keyboard was a bit stunned at how quickly their evening had changed even more shocked at being allowed to accompany them.

Everyone in the SUV heard as Jane quickly explained and started describing the scene in front of her.

The four of them approached their victim and stopped at the words carved in his chest. The words were crudely carved and mocking, "_Tick, tock Rizzoli"_

"Are you kidding me?" Disgusted, Jane put her fingers against the young man's neck and then his ankle. "He's alive, shit!" Jonathan moaned at her touch.

Korsak quickly called for the ambulance and watched as Morgan knelt down next to Jane.

Dude..you gotta get me out of this…" Jonathan tried not to chatter as his bluish lips blubbered his words. Morgan looked down at him and over at Jane who shook her head.

"We need to get him untied. These wires look like they're tied to the lamppost."

Jordan overheard Morgan's words over Garcia's feed and felt her blood run cold. "No! Don't touch it!" Running out of the car she ignored Garcia's screams for her to get back. Heart pumping she ran, as fast as she could. It didn't occur to her that she had just made herself a target. All Jordan knew was that her friends were in danger.

Morgan heard Jordan yell in his earpiece and turned in the direction of the car. "What the hell?"

"Was that Jordan?" Jane and Emily looked around frantically. If their shooter was nearby he would have heard her.

"Don't touch him!" Jordan slipped and fell, cursing as she got up and continued running.

Jordan came up the path to the fountain panting. "IED, he's wired, he's wired Morgan." She had seen enough of this in Afghanistan. He was tied into the lamppost electrical. If they tried to get him loose it would blow, she knew it just as she knew her own name.

"What do you mean he's wired?"  
The question went unanswered as their shooter opened fire. Ducking down Jane was shocked by how close the bullet came to hitting Emily.

"Get out, we have to get out of here the shot came from that direction. JJ? Can you hear us?"

"Yes" Her voice was tense, but they all heard her relief at hearing Emily's voice.

"Hon we're caught between a bomb and a shooter. We need PD to head in the direction of the hotel across the street."

JJ relayed the request as two more shots rang out. "Jesus"

Maura gripped the vest with her hands as she listened to what was going on. Frost had called Hotch and Cavanaugh, both of whom were on their way along with the bomb squad. JJ and Reid were headed out in the direction of the hotel with the police as she listened to Jane and the others talk amongst themselves. This was insane…how could one person wreak so much havoc. Shaking her head she continued to listen.

Garcia was desperate to find something, anything. Jordan was out there now and she had no idea how JJ could possibly be managing so well.

Jane looked at Jordan, "we have to do something for him" looking at their victim she felt horrible about not helping him.

"We can't, not now, not yet…" She ducked her head as a bullet struck the lamppost. "Oh my God," pulling Jane by the hand she yelled, "RUN!"

None of them wasted anytime hesitating, which everyone would later agree, saved some lives. The explosion blew apart the fountain and their victim. The fireball and concussion knocked them all off their feet, with pieces of the fountain raining down around them. The shooter was forgotten as everyone ran toward their friends and loved ones.

**I know, I know….How could I? Well hell, how could I not? Love to know what you think.**


	8. Chapter 8 Aftermath

**A/N: See…not to long a wait…enjoy and thank you for the reviews!**

Brandon's laughter echoed off the buildings around him. He had watched through his scope as they approached his little guinea pig but they had refused to give him a target. It didn't take long for him to realize that they had figured out what he had done, so he took matters into his own hands and fired at the power source. Someone had warned them though. They started running away from the fountain as soon as first hit the lamppost. The second shot had detonated the IED and he had been excited to see them all go airborne for the briefest of moments as the fountain exploded and the fireball chased them down.

He shrugged the rifle strap off his shoulder and broke it down. Tossing the still hot barrel in the snow he shoved the other pieces into his parka. Grabbing the barrel he wiped and put that away as well as he listened to the sirens descending on the park. He could hear officers headed in the direction he was in but he would easily blend in to the crowd starting to build up outside the lobby. He would find out soon enough if he was successful, he just had one other question that needed answered, who warned them.

Emily couldn't figure out why her ears were ringing or why her face was wet for that matter. Pushing herself onto her knees she shook her head like a dog trying to clear it. Her side was throbbing. She had been given the go ahead to go back to work but she still wasn't one hundred percent…she knew that.

"Fuck…"

"Emily! Morgan!" JJ's frantic voice carried from a distance. Pushing herself to a sitting position Emily sat in the snow and tried to catalogue where it hurt and found she couldn't, everything hurt.

She was thankful for the weather because her coat and vest protected her from the worst of the blast. Her hands stung from hitting the walkway and she knew she had a cut on her leg, but overall, she knew she had been damned lucky.

Morgan could hear garbled voices through his earpiece but it was had to distinguish them. He had blacked out briefly and his head was pounding to beat the band but all in all it looked he got off pretty easy. Thank God he understood exactly where Jordan was headed. This guy was crazy. An IED? Putting his head in his hands he tried to shake off the effects of the blast, cursing when one hand came away covered in blood. "Great another scar."

"Morgan, Emily, please someone talk to me…" Garcia's voice was frantic and he could hear Maura in the background.

"I'm here baby girl, mostly in one piece."

"Jordan…Derek where's Jordan?" He could hear the sobs she was trying to contain. All of them were wearing winter coats but of them all, Jordan had no vest. He knew without a doubt that his vest had protected him to some extent. Looking around he was amazed at what remained of the fountain and lamppost, of the victim; there was nothing he could see. If possible it was darker than it was before. Standing up he caught himself against a rail when he lost his balance. He knew his body was probably one huge bruise but he had to find the others.

Korsak was actually further away than the others when the IED detonated. Once he heard Jordan yell he knew there was no way he was getting anywhere quickly so he dove for cover. Except for rolling once or twice he was sore but okay and brushing himself off he searched frantically for Jane and the BAU team. Their vic was gone but dammit, Jane and Jordan had been standing the closest to him.

It was the wailing of approaching sirens that made its way through the fog, that and the pain coursing through her body. Somehow she was flat on her back. Jane tried to move her legs and panicked when she couldn't. Lifting her head she saw why, Jordan was laying across the lower half of her body. Jane tried to sit and cursed at the pain that shot through her arm when she pushed herself up.

"Jordan…come on Jordan, tell me you're okay…please…" Jane tried to roll her and yelled out loud, a piece of metal was sticking out of her upper thigh. Gritting her teeth she swallowed the pain the movement caused and lay back down. "Shit, shit, shit…" she would have to wait for someone to get to her.

JJ came upon the scene with Reid and stopped cold. "No, no, no…" she couldn't help her words. It 'looked' like a bomb went off. "Emily!"

"Here…I'm here." Emily was still sitting where she had come to her senses. It was just easier.

Falling to her knees next to her JJ wrapped her in a fierce hug. "Thank God…" she was crying and acting in a totally unprofessional manner but she didn't care, Emily was alive.

"Thank you God," she whispered fervently.

"No" Emily groaned, "thank Jordan…how did she know…wait, where is she?" Looking around frantically she saw no sign of her.

"Jane!" Maura saw Jane lying in the snow and stopped cold when she didn't see any movement. Her heart pounding in her chest at the idea, the very thought of Jane gone, made her lightheaded, and then she moved.

"Maura?" Jane tried to sit up biting back a cry of pain.

"Jane…oh…" dropping to her knees she placed a hand on her forehead, pushing her back. "Don't move," Jane nodded and bit her lip to keep from crying out again.

Maura ran her hands over Jordan, and felt the blood from a wound in her side. She needed to roll her off of Jane but she couldn't risk injuring the unconscious woman further.

Frost dropped down beside her frowning, "can I help?"

"Me too," Reid had quickly assessed the situation and saw that the others were at least ambulatory. The only ones still on the ground and injured were Jane and Jordan.

Nodding, "Help me roll her." She kept a careful eye on the piece of metal sticking out of Jane's leg, Maura didn't want to risk jostling it, and carefully rolled Jordan off of Jane as she supported her head and neck. Jane breathed a sigh of relief.

EMT's arrived at the scene with more police and spread out, to attend to the victims of the blast two taking over from Maura. Gratefully, she turned her attention back to Jane.

"I'm fine..." Morgan brushed off the hands of the paramedic trying to check him out. "My friends check on them.

"We are sir, we are checking on everyone, but that means you too." Morgan shook his head as the medic made him sit down.

"Jordan!"

"Penelope here! Maura waved frantically at her. Jordan was just beginning to stir and her moan of pain twisted Maura's heart. She held Jane's hand and squeezed reassuringly as the medic wrapped a bandage around the protrusion in Jane's leg in order to transport her.

Garcia dropped to her knees next to Jordan practically pushing the female medic working on her to the ground.

"Ma'am please..."

Garcia ran her fingers through Jordan's hair. "I'm sorry it's just..." she just wanted her to wake up, to be okay.

The medic understood, she saw the love pouring from her into the woman lying in the ground and felt a twinge of envy for her patient. Having someone care that much was something special.

Jordan groaned again, her back was throbbing and it hurt to breathe but she was alive. Slowly she opened her eyes

"Jordan! Oh thank god!" Unthinkingly Pen reached down and hugged her grateful for the sight of those piercing eyes.

"Ow querida...no tan duro." She winced as Pen let her go.

"I'm sorry. Oh dammit…" she couldn't stop the tears that ran down her face as she looked around at the devastation and back at Jordan.

"Its okay querida, I'm okay I think, everyone else?"

"Alive thanks to you." She watched as Morgan brushed off the medics and wiped at her eyes, which now narrowed as it dawned on her what had happened.

"How could you do that? You scared me to death…. you could have been killed...he was shooting and you..." Garcia's tirade trailed off, when she received no response from Jordan.

"I'm sorry hon, I knew, somehow I knew what they were looking at. There was no time." Biting her lip she hissed as the medic pressed against her wound.

"Ma'am I'm sorry but we need to transport her." Her patient was shivering in this cold and still losing blood. Looking at her partner who was working on Jane, "we need to transport them both."

Jane laid her head back and cursed out loud. "What a cluster…"

Hotch muttered under his breath as he saw his team in the waiting room of the hospital. They looked like they had been through the ringer. Morgan he knew had a mild concussion and more stitches on his scalp. Emily had been banged up and aside from some scrapes had visibly come away unscathed but he knew from the way she was holding herself upright that she had reinjured the torn muscles that had only just begun to fully heal from her run in with Reggie. JJ sat next to Emily touching her leg, reassuring herself that she was okay.

Reid sat across from them with Maura and Garcia, both of whom were still waiting for word on their significant others.

Before he could say anything, Korsak walked up to him and asked him to follow.

"Did you find anything on the shooter?"

If he was surprised by the question he didn't show it. "No, we didn't, he was gone by the time the officers got there. What the hell happened Detective?"

Quickly Korsak told him what had transpired to include Jordan's appearance at the scene. "If she hadn't stopped us…" he left the rest unsaid.

"Her presence wasn't authorized, you know that." Hotch was imagining the press and the field day they were going to have.

"Hotch…"

"She's assisting with the investigation based on her military background." He said with a small smile, "that's my story and I'm sticking to it. Now, update me, how are they?"

"JJ I'm fine really." Emily tried to get comfortable in the very uncomfortable waiting room chairs. They had all refused to leave until they received news about Jane and Jordan.

"Emily Prentiss! You are most certainly not fine." She poked at her side.

Emily hissed in pain, "Dammit Jayje" her side hurt and she had refused the pain medication that was offered, but now…

"I'm sorry Em but you can be so frustrating sometimes." Emily pulled her in close and kissed her on the forehead.

"That's why you love me."

"Hmmm…" She held her hand tightly, knowing how lucky not just Emily but all of them had been.

They all stood when the doctor came in to update them on Jordan.

"Ms. Rivera had some debris removed from her side and back which we've cleaned and closed up. After taking x-rays we spotted a cracked rib as well. We want to keep her overnight based on the assessment at the scene, but she is refusing. We should have her ready for discharge in another hour or so." Doctor Patel shook her head. Her patient had actually started arguing with her. "Which one of you is Ms. Garcia?"

"I am" Pen raised her hand nervously looking at the others.

"She asked that you come back, but she needs rest. Ribs need time to heal and it is not something to play around with, understood?"

"Yes ma'am" Garcia pulled her by the sleeve as she walked away, "What about Detective Rizzoli?"

"I called for an orthopedic consult there. Her doctor should be out shortly, I believe they were just finishing up with her."

Maura sat down and rubbed her face furiously.

"Are you okay Maura?" Reid sat down and put an arm around her. "Jane is going to be fine you know."

"I know Spencer its just…" she shook her head as she thought things through. "I don't believe in luck Spencer, or in chance but sometimes."

Reid squeezed her hand, "You know I never believed in that either but after being a part of this unit, this family for so many years I've learned to believe that we're here for a reason. Not forever of course, but some of us are meant to…survive." He looked over toward Emily and JJ and remembered how he felt when Emily had "died" he had felt lost. Her death had thrown that newfound belief for a loop and then she was back, reaffirming it.

They sat quietly lost in thought.

Frost brought in coffee for everyone and sat down next to Maura.

"Anything?"

"No, not…"

"Family for Detective Rizzoli?" The doctor who came in looked irritated.

"Here." Maura and the others stood up.

"Your Detective is going to be fine. She has a fractured right wrist and we were able to remove the foreign object from her leg without causing any more damage. There is some muscle and tissue damage but it's not as bad as we first thought. She needs to stay off of it for a couple of days, though I doubt she'll listen." The disgusted look on his face let them all know how good a patient Jane was being.

"Can I see her?

"Please, she's signed herself out AMA so she's all yours in about a half hour." Shaking his head he muttered under his breath as he walked away.

"Thank god," Morgan said.

"Thank someone," Reid said as he watched Maura walk down the hallway.

Rossi breathed a sigh of relief after hanging up with Hotch. They would all be fine. For now. Unfortunately he still hadn't been able to make the connection he thought he saw. Looking at the time he realized it was high time he took a break. He wasn't going to find anything tonight. He texted the others and let them know. He knew they were headed back to the hotel as well.

Tomorrow was a new day. Hopefully they would be able to find something at the scene.

Emily fell onto the bed, exhausted.

JJ shook her head and sighed. Reaching down she pulled off Emily's shoes and started massaging her feet.

Groaning Emily rolled over carefully and pulled at her. "You're tired too hon, leave it."

"No, you refused the meds, the least I can do is try to relax you a bit so you can sleep." She smiled at Emily's moan of pleasure knowing she had made the right decision.

"K…" Emily let her body relax as the love of her life took care of her. Tomorrow would come soon enough.

Reid was glad Morgan had gone to bed, he knew the older man had to be hurting, especially after helping get Jordan settled in with Garcia.

He lay back on his bed and thought about their unsub. Military rounds, an IED, a personal connection to the Boston PD…they were missing something. As he drifted off, he wondered if Rossi had found anything.

Maura looked on as Jane slept. The pain medication they had given her would keep her out of it for at least another six hours. Frost and Korsak had helped her get Jane home and now, sipping a cup of hot chocolate, Jane's favorite, her thoughts went to her feelings for this woman. They had gotten lucky. All of them had. The odds of having someone in the vehicle who could recognize what they were looking at…Maura shuddered at what might have been. She wanted to be on the scene first thing in the morning. Her techs were at the scene cataloguing the remains of their victim's body and working with the crime scene technicians and she was hoping that they would find something, anything that would help them track their unsub down.

Jane had her nightmares, Maura knew that, but ever since Rodriguez had almost taken Jane's life, Maura had suffered through her own nightmares as well. She refused to allow anyone to take Jane away from her. She had almost lost her again tonight. They had to find this man and soon.

Brandon finished cleaning his rifle and put it away before getting on the computer. Typing his search in he started reading about the Behavioral Analysis Unit and their role. He wanted as much information as possible and somehow he would find out who the person was who warned them. He didn't like it that he hadn't been able to find out for sure who had been injured. He wanted Rizzoli out of the picture of course but there were others that he needed to focus on as well. This unknown person for one, and the blond, he hadn't forgotten about her.

**Of course I ratchet it right back up….let me know what you think…also, I will be working on my original work during NaNoWriMo so it may be a week or two before I update…your humble bard.**


	9. Chapter 9 New Profile

**A/N: I am soooo sorry, between writing my novel and updating my other fics, I didn't realize I hadn't updated this since Halloween. Hopefully won't happen again. Dealing with some family health issues right now but I will still be writing. Hope you are all still with me...**

"Sonofabitch!" Jane tried to push herself off the bed, forgetting about her wrist, which was now throbbing to beat the band. Her cursing woke up Maura who was asleep next to her.

"Jane? Are you okay?" Rolling over she looked at Jane who had her eyes shut tightly, she could see the bruising and scratches on her face and neck but knew it was her other injuries that were bothering her.

"Friggin hurts Maur…shit…" She felt Maura's hand on her forehead and forced herself to open her eyes. "Sorry about the language Maura."

"Oh Jane…I don't care about that right now. Let me get you a drink so you can take your pain medication."

"Mmm…what time is it Maur." She watched her go to the bathroom and come back with a drink for her.

"A little after six." Handing her two pills she helped Jane sit up. Taking one, Jane handed back the other.

"I just want to take the edge off Maur I don't want to be out of it."

"Jane" she said warningly.

"Please Maura, I know you have to go in this morning, I want to go in with you."

"That's really not a …"

"Good idea, I know, but I need to go in. I need to touch base with the team, check on Jordan." Propping herself up with her good hand, "Please Maura…"

Maura took a deep breath and shook her head. She was impossible, truly. She also knew that if she said no, Jane would find a way to do it anyway. Pushing her back gently she kissed her on the forehead, "Fine, but sleep now. We'll go in later this morning."

"K…" eyes closed Jane let her body's need for rest, pull her back.

**xxxxxxxxxxxxx**

"Morgan….wake up…." Reid looked at the clock and realized that they had both slept in. He was surprised Hotch hadn't called them already.

Morgan's answering groan made him feel bad for waking him. Sitting up Morgan grabbed his head.

"Shit!" Feels like a damn hangover."

"Given the fact that you have stitches in your head and that you were caught in an explosion just…"

"Reid! Dude, shut up."

"Sorry, anyway Hotch wants us at the precinct by ten."

"What time is it?"

"Eight, we slept in."

"Can't imagine why," he said sarcastically. "Okay Wonder Boy, I'll take the shower first if you don't mind. It may take me a bit longer than usual to get going this morning."

"Sure Morgan, I'll call Hotch and let him know."

**Xxxxxxxxx**

**"**No…"

"Emily…come on baby, you wanted me to get you up in time for a shower and breakfast." JJ nudged her gently knowing how her body must be hurting her.

Rolling over onto her back she opened one eye and peered at JJ, "Why does the morning come so early?"

"Because we have work to do dear." Worried she looked at her girlfriend who besides rolling over hadn't moved. "Are you sure you're up for this today?"

"No choice Jen, we have to stop this little prick before he tries this shit again. I'll be damned if I let him win." Swinging her legs off the bed, she grabbed at her side and took a breath to steady herself. "I am definitely getting to old for this."

JJ kneeled in front of her and kissed her. "You're not too old, you're just right." Kissing her again she let her lips express to Emily just how happy she was to even be moving around after what had happened. "I do wish just once you could get through a case without getting batted around though."

"At least it wasn't a 2x4."

"No," JJ said seriously, "it was worse. Emily…"

"Shh…don't say it okay. Let's get through this and when we do, I have a surprise for you Agent Jareau."

"Oh really Agent Prentiss?"

"Yup, now seriously, give me a hand will you?" Grinning sheepishly Emily realized she needed help standing up.

"Yes dear…"

**xxxxxxxxxx**

"No, no, no…" Garcia stood there; arms crossed daring Jordan to defy her.

"I can help querida." She had woken to an all body soreness that was unfortunately familiar. It wasn't her first time being caught in an explosion, but it was the first time she had been the only one to recognize the scene for what it was. "You know that."

Tapping her foot nervously Garcia looked at her. If not for Jordan, members of the team would have lost their lives last night but she needed to rest, plus she wasn't a part of this. Jordan was only here visiting her because she knew that Pen needed her.

"You scared the hell out of me when you ran out of the car like that." Sitting on the edge of the bed she wiped an errant tear. "When that thing exploded…" Garcia let herself feel what might have happened and broke down.

Jordan ignored her body's objection to the movement and moved to her. "Shh…mi amor," she held Garcia in her arms and rocked her gently. "I will be okay, we all will. Have faith querida."

"Faith? This guy is crazy, there's no logic, just crazy, I mean any one of you could have died last night!" Jordan silenced her tirade with a gentle kiss and just held her.

"Penelope, let me just contribute where I can. If they don't need me, I'll come back and rest. I promise." She needed to help catch the bastard that had almost blown her friends up. "I'm going to tell you something that sounds crazy but please, hear me out."

The seriousness of her voice surprised her, so Pen just nodded.

Taking as deep a breath as her beaten body allowed, Jordan exposed just a bit more of herself to the woman she loved.

"I never believed in anything growing up except that bad things happened to good people. Somewhere along the way I started to realize that there was something else at play. I believe in destiny Penelope, I believe we were meant to be just as I know in my heart I was meant to be here with you now. I know what would have happened if…if they hadn't known last night. I've seen the aftermath of an IED remember?"

She did, Jordan had told her about more than one close call, but she didn't know if she could quite wrap her head around what Jordan was saying. She believed in fate, but she was a tech geek too, she needed facts. Her mind raced as she considered what Jordan was saying. She was scared and Jordan saw it.

"I'm here for you Penelope, but I want to try to help. If Hotch says no, its no."

Garcia let out the breath she was holding and relaxed in Jordan's arms. "Fine, okay…but so help me Jordan if you don't take it easy…" Jordan's kiss stopped the rest of her words. Chuckling she knew what Pen would have threatened, its what she always threatened, to erase her cyber existence.

"I love you Penelope Garcia, don't ever doubt that. Now, how about we help me take a shower." She smiled brightly at her and was rewarded with smile back.

"You're so lucky I love you so much or I would let you fend yourself." She extended a hand and steadied her as she swayed. "Are you sure?" she whispered.

With a quick peck on the cheek Jordan walked carefully toward the bathroom. "Come on querida."

Penelope sighed. She trusted Jordan to be making the right call but she felt bad for wanting Hotch to tell her to go home.

**xxxxxxxxxx**

Hotch looked up from the files he was reviewing and gave Rossi a grateful smile. "Thanks for the coffee."

"No problem, anyone in yet?"

"No, I told them to come in a bit later. I'm hoping Jane follows doctor's orders and stays put today."

Laughing out loud, "Do you really think that's a possibility?"

Hotch looked at him with a quirky smile, "No, I don't, they're all stubborn as hell."

"Pot calling kettle Aaron."

"Who's calling kettle what?" Frost and Korsak walked in with their own cups and looked around.

"No one else here yet?" Korsak was surprised to see the conference room so empty.

"Well after last night…"

"Yeah…Uh you know Jane won't be staying put right?" Frost looked at the older men as they nodded, "Okay, wasn't sure if you knew that."

"Please Detective, have you met Emily Prentiss? Or Derek Morgan?" Rossi chuckled as he spoke. What happened last night wasn't funny, but they had to find humor in something.

"So, anything knew from the techs?" Korsak looked down at the file Hotch was reviewing.

"No but I think we need to revaluate our preliminary profile. We'll work on the boards when they all get in, say a meeting at 11? In the meanwhile I have to go talk to Cavanaugh. We have a press briefing to give at 2." Hotch unhappily took his coffee with him and the left the three men to wait for the others.

**xxxxxxx**

"I've got it Maur." Jane shrugged off her help as she swung her legs out the car. Using the cane they gave her at the hospital she stood up. "Christ…" Her leg hurt like a bitch. Crutches hadn't been an option with her wrist in a brace and she had absolutely refused to use a wheelchair. A cane was the only option she would consider. Right now though she actually regretted even getting up this morning but damned if she would let this fucker win.

Maura shook her head at Jane's stubbornness. If Jane was determined to be here today, she as going to help, whether Jane liked it or not.

Moving stiffly, she nodded gratefully to Maura when she helped her up the steps. "Thanks Maur…sorry."

With a light kiss she shook her head at her. "Jane, I understand, just…please if it bothers you too much, let me take you home?"

"Deal Maur, I won't lie, I'm hurting." Biting her lip she winced as she walked up the steps.

**Xxxxxx**

Emily looked up as Jane and Maura walked in. She couldn't help the chuckle that escaped her as Jane limped in. They all looked like crap and yet here they were. Instead of taking a day of from this madness they would all rather tackle it head on. Squeezing JJ's hand she leaned back in her seat, grateful her friend was ok.

Korsak stood up as Jane and Maura walked in. "Sit Rizzoli, you look like shit."

"Thanks Korsak, you don't look to banged up." Looking around "where's Garcia?"

"On her way up…with Jordan."

Jane sat down heavily rubbing at her bandage. "Thank God she's okay."

"About as okay as you are I'd say." Frost nodded toward the door as Jordan walked in holding Garcia's hand.

Jane locked eyes with Jordan and smiled. They'd be dead if not for her. She started clapping without thinking.

The others followed suit. Jordan was blushing so badly she looked to Pen for help.

"Guys you're embarrassing my girlfriend." Her smile was as wide as her face as she helped Jordan get situated.

"Sorry baby girl, but I for one am happy as hell she was with us." Morgan's bandage was stark against his dark skin and the bruising on his face was easily visible.

"I'm pretty glad I was there too." Jordan's heart did a little flip as she considered the alternative. "I hope you guys don't mind but Hotch said I could consult."

"Hell no we don't mind!" the sentiment was echoed by more than one of them.

"See Penelope, I told you." Jordan laughed when Garcia kissed her and then smacked her head.

"We made a deal."

"Yes ma'am" rubbing her head she turned to the others, "I promised I would go back to the hotel if I need to."

"I expect nothing less." Hotch walked in and smiled at the team gathered in front of him. Most of them looked a little worse for wear but they were alive and that's what mattered. "And on behalf of this joint team, thank you Jordan." He didn't say anymore, but he didn't have to. He looked over at Jane and shook his head, "You look like shit Rizzoli, are you sure you wouldn't rather…"

"No Hotch, I need to be here. I'll be honest, I feel like shit but I refuse to give this fucker the satisfaction." Jane wiped the sheen of sweat on her forehead. "That said, I'm still the lead detective, so what do we have?"

"Our victim was taken sometime yesterday afternoon. The biggest difference this time was obviously the IED and the fact that our victim was alive when you got to the scene."

"So why the change." Morgan looked at the others. "He had a fairly set M.O. what changed?"

"We did." Frost looked at his partner, "We brought you guys in and he now knows it. This happened after the press conference."

"Son of a bitch." Jane tapped on the table, "still though, doesn't explain the overkill. It almost seems more personal now."

"We were assuming that this is someone who has something against the Boston PD, what if, it is personal. What if they are connected somehow to the investigation itself or to one of us?" Reid looked at the shocked faces around the table. "This person went from targeting individuals to a group."

"Dammit Reid you're right" Rossi was surprised he had missed pointing that out.

JJ looked at her file, "Yes but then what are we saying? I mean the use of an IED is a bit of overkill don't you think?"

"It is because we don't know if any of you was a specific target." Reid followed the train of the thought. "We could reasonably assume that Detective Rizzoli was a possible target based on the press conference that the fact that she has been at every scene. She is the face of this investigation and would automatically become a focal point."

"Yay me," Jane muttered. "What about everyone else?"

"Well" Rossi said, "if this person has access to the precinct in some way then they've seen you with the others."

"Yes but they weren't successful," Emily hadn't spoken up until now, trying to put the pieces together. "And if this person finds out why, then he may shift targets." She looked uneasily at Jordan.

Garcia watched the exchange and shook her head violently. "No, no, no…"

"Garcia I'm not saying this as fact, I'm speculating."

"Well speculate in another direction." Garcia stood up abruptly and walked out. "I'm getting some coffee."

"I guess I could have worded that differently."

"Em it had to be said." JJ looked at the retreating back of her best friend, "She understands, she's just scared."

Jordan moved to go after her but was stopped by a firm hand. "I'll go." Maura squeezed Jane's shoulder and followed Garcia to the coffee shop.

"All right folks, the boards are up, lets review what we have and hopefully we'll have something more for Garcia to try and connect for us."

**xxxxxxxx**

Garcia sat down with her coffee and jumped when Maura tapped her on the shoulder.

"Are you okay Penelope?"

"I'm scared Maura, I mean last night…"

"I know. When I heard that explosion and couldn't get an answer from Jane…" They both sat silently contemplating what almost happened.

"I want her to go home, but I know we could use her experience on this case." Leaning on one hand, "Am I being selfish?"

"No Pen, you're not…"

They spent the next fifteen minutes working through what was going on and Garcia's fears. By the time they headed back upstairs, Pen was in a much better frame of mind.

Brandon snickered as he wiped down the table they had just gotten up from. So much information. He felt almost giddy. He had been wondering all night how to get the information he needed and they had walked right in and given it to him. Now he knew a bit more, including how badly they had been hurt. He was still angry that he hadn't been able to get rid of at least Rizzoli but she would be easy pickings now, with a bum leg and hand. He paused a moment, he would hang around till the lunch rush in case any more of them came down. If they didn't, he would just head out with the information he had, lots of planning to do. He had an endgame in mind but it was still a ways off. In the meanwhile, these two had given him a lot to consider.

**I've a;ready started the next chapter so I hope to post shortly. I'd love to know your thoughts on this guy and this story in general. Talk soon, your humble bard.**


	10. Chapter 10 Who is it?

**A/N: See, no month long wait this time! enjoy!**

"Okay so let's review." Rossi looked at the others as Maura and Garcia came back. "This is obviously someone with specific ties to the police department."

"But he's young and connected to the University" Reid piped up.

"Military or para-military training." Morgan said.

"But what kind of ties to the police? Is it family? Is it a wannabe who failed?" Jane looked around at the others. They were as frustrated as she was.

"Wait a minute," Emily said, "we may be going about this all wrong. There is obviously a connection to the university, we know that, right?" At their nods she continued. "So have we cross referenced current BPD staff and their children with the Criminal Justice Program at the school?"

"And further cross reference whether any of those applied to become an officer." Jane piped up. Hope building, this made sense. "If they were rejected…"

"What about the military slant?" JJ asked.

"Very often individuals who want to become a member of a military or paramilitary group will apply themselves to activities that would only promote their view of themselves in that field. Rejected or not, these individuals will still pursue the training that would have been involved if they had gone the normal route." Reid stopped and looked at the others, "what?"

"Thank you boy genius," Morgan chuckled. "You're right, there's nothing to say that if this person got rejected that they didn't continue their training on their own."

"And this may well be an extension of that." Rossi said.

"Garcia?" Hotch looked at his tech analyst whose fingers were already flying across her keyboard. She and Frost both had determined looks on their faces as they plugged in the parameters the team had come up with.

"We're running the information now. It's going to take a little bit but with Frost's access we should have something fairly soon." Garcia looked at Hotch expectantly.

"Fine in the meanwhile, we all need to be careful. Whoever this is may have access to the police department so be mindful of what is discussed and where." Sighing, "We have another press conference this afternoon at 1pm."

"Wasn't yesterday enough?" Jane said angrily. Maura squeezed her hand in a show of support.

"Yes Detective, it was, but when you consider that after the last press conference a few of you were almost blown to kingdom come, I think we need to present a strong front. Let this person know that they can't control the outcome."

"Hotch, we look like the walking wounded." Morgan pointed to the stark bandage on his head.

"But you're walking." Rossi said. "This person's intent was pretty clear last night. I think he expected at least one of you to die. But things didn't quite work out that way did it." He nodded to Jordan as he spoke. "This has to have thrown him for a loop."

"Great," Jane muttered, "A nuttier, nut job."

Korsak tapped his chin thoughtfully, "In the line of duty."

"What?" Emily glanced at the older man as he looked at them all.

"Korsak…Garcia, run the names of the officers who have either died or suffered serious injury in the line of duty, in the past six months." JJ nodded approvingly at Korsak.

"A year, go back a year at least." Korsak said, pensive.

Frost patted him on the back, "Way to go old man."

"Old man?" He growled at everyone's laughter. "Experienced not old!"

"That's right, between you and Rossi you have what 5, 6 wives of experience?"

"Shut up Janie." Korsak laughed at his protégé, he watched her shoulders relax a bit as he realized that they all needed this bit of levity.

"Okay people, everyone needs to be present for the press conference. We'll meet at 12:30 back here before going downstairs. Rizzoli, Cavanaugh wants a word with you, please. And Jordan? Can I speak with you please?" Hotch issued his orders and watched them disburse, smiling as Jane grumbled about having to speak to Cavanaugh.

**xxxxxxxxx**

"Sit Rizzoli, before you fall down."

"Yes sir," Jane took a seat and waited. She had a feeling this was not going to be good.

"You good Rizzoli? I know the docs wanted you to stay put last night." Crossing him arms he waited for Jane to dispute his words.

"They did, but…" agitated she ran a hand through her hair. "Sir, I need to be here, can you understand that. I can't stay on the sidelines here. This person made a target out of all of us and I refuse to give him the satisfaction."

Cavanaugh nodded and took a seat as he thought about the woman in front of him. Decision made, "You made the right call."

"Sir?" Now she was totally confused.

"Calling in the BAU, that was the right call…and I told the brass that. I just wanted you to know that I have your back." Smiling he leaned back, "Just try not to threaten any more reporters, will you?"

"No promises sir," her response was gruff but what he had said surprised her. "I appreciate it sir."

"Yeah well, don't get used to it." Waving her away he looked down. "You have leave if you need it you know, use it."

"Yes sir."

**xxxxxxx**

Emily and JJ were waiting when Jane came out of Cavanaugh's office.

"Where's Maura?"

"Downstairs, reviewing everything that came in from last night." Emily's grimace was shared by all of them. Explosions didn't leave much forensic evidence. "Jordan's down there with the bomb squad techs. Since she ID'd it they had some questions for her."

JJ grabbed Jane's elbow as she stumbled, "Whoa, you okay?"

Teeth gritted she nodded. "Friggin hurts." Taking a deep breath she composed herself. Grateful at least that the wrist in a brace wasn't her shooting hand, except that right now it held a cane and not a gun.

JJ looked at Emily before speaking, "Jane are you sure…"

"Don't JJ please, I know what you're going to say and I swear I will rest later, not now. We need to prep for the news conference. Hopefully Garcia and Frost will have some names for us."

**Xxxxxxxxx**

Jordan looked at herself in the mirror. She had finished with the bomb techs and was glad she had been able to give them the information she did. It had been wired to the lamppost as she had suspected. Taking as deep a breath as she could, she quickly downed the pain medication the doctor's had prescribed last night. Only one. Two would make her fuzzy but she needed to take the edge off before she saw Penelope again. She would know immediately that she was hurting.

When she pushed the door open she was surprised to find Maura standing there.

"Oh, hey."

"You're hurting aren't you?" Maura crossed her arms across her chest and looked at her like she was a child.

"No…" seeing her raised eyebrows, "Yes, but please don't tell Pen."

Maura just shook her head; these women surrounded her with their hardheadedness. "Come into my office for a little bit, please."

She made Jordan sit down on the couch.

"Just a few minutes. You've been favoring your side and you're not breathing very deeply are you."

Jordan shook her head.

"Close your eyes" seeing the look she got Maura laughed, "trust me?"

"Okay."

"Follow the sound of my voice…" Maura continued to speak soothingly while instructing her to breathe evenly, focusing on her diaphragm and not her ribs. After about ten minutes she instructed her to open her eyes.

"How do you feel?"

"Better…do you do that with Jane?"

"She won't sit still long enough. Maybe you could talk to her?" Maura gave her a small smile.

"Esta loca Jane! I'll tell her, she's crazy not to take advantage of that. Thank you."

"My pleasure." Maura watched her leave, walking a bit more upright than when she left and sighed, wishing Jane would let her take care of her. Looking at the time she started to finish up so she could be upstairs for the news conference.

**Xxxxxxxx**

Penelope looked over at Frost and smiled. "I think we have something."

"I think you're right, six names. Two of them work here, all of them attend the university." Grabbing the sheet off the printer he scanned the names. He recognized two of the fallen officers having known them personally.

"One of these is a girl, sixteen, she doesn't fit our profile,"

"That leaves five." Barry smiled as he heard the excitement in her voice.

"Send this list to everyone will you? I'll get backgrounds and pics and prep for the meeting." For the first time since this all began, Frost felt some hope that they would get to this person before he got to anyone else.

**xxxxxxxx**

Emily looked over the names that Garcia and Frost had come up with and looked over that the Boston contingent, "so, are any of these names familiar?"

"Two are, the two that work here. Both of them work in the coffee shop downstairs." Korsak, "Hey Frost, bring them up on the screen will you?"

Both young men appeared on the screen eliciting a curse from Emily. "That's him!"

They all looked at her as she rifled through the files. "Him who, Em?" JJ looked a bit worried at her outburst.

"The guy in the classroom Morgan…." Emily glared at him as it dawned on him.

"He bumped into me in the hall, scrawny kid, like you Reid, but hard."

"Thanks." Reid deadpanned.

"You know what I mean. He was a bit…"

"Off." Emily finished.

"I know him." Jane tilted her head, "his Dad was shot during a robbery almost a year ago."

"I remember that case, it was a bad call, he went in without back up." Korsak looked at Frost who nodded.

"Brandon Wilkins, I think you just made the top of the list." Rossi looked up from his notes and smiled, "We shouldn't exclude the others though, I'd recommend we postpone the press conference until after we can talk to these five, Hotch."

"I'd love to, but that option is a bit out of my hands at the moment. That explosion obviously made the news and rumors are running rampant. We need to keep them tamped down."

Jane sighed at his words. She wondered if this Brandon was downstairs now. "We have a couple of minutes before the conference then, anyone mind if I go get some coffee?" She got to her feet and waited. "No? I'll be back."

"Jane wait," JJ glanced at Emily who nodded. "I'll come with you."

JJ waited till they were out in the hallway before she said anything. "You want to see if he's there, don't you?"

"Don't you?" she challenged.

Looking back at the others, JJ nodded. "Come on." She knew Emily was aware of what Jane was up to and she knew it was something Jane needed to do.

**Xxxxxxx**

When they got to the coffee shop, JJ let Jane take the lead.

"Stanley! Hey…" she stopped when she saw him come out from behind the counter.

"What is it Rizzoli? Coffee not to your liking again?"

Waving her hand she shut him up. "That one kid who works here, Brandon."

"Wilkins? What about him?"

"Is he here?"

"Earlier, sure when your girlfriend was here with that blonde."

Jane's hand tightened on her cane. She hated when he called Maura her girlfriend, like that's all she was. She felt JJ's hand on her shoulder and took a breath.

"Are you sure he was here then?" JJ asked.

"Yeah, he even cleaned up their table as soon as they got up. Surprised the hell out of me. I didn't have to find him to do it." Stanley put his hands on his hips, "Is that all? We have reporters coming in and I have to make a fresh batch of coffee."

Jane bit her lip before opening her mouth.

"Is he still here?"

"No said something about school, stupid scholarship. He thinks cause he has one he can make his own hours." He left her standing there before she even finished saying thank you.

"Thanks, Asshole." She muttered.

"Relax Jane, we got some information though."

"Yeah we did, now we just need to get through this stupid press conference and follow up on all these leads." She turned to leave just as her leg gave out. "Shit!" JJ caught her and helped her to a seat.

She could tell Jane was in a lot of pain and could think of only one thing to do. She pulled out her phone and sent a text message.

"Jayje, what are you doing?" Jane rubbed at her leg.

"Texting Maura."

"Shit."

**So…watchathinking?**


	11. Chapter 11 Brandon

**A/N: So here's another update…its a bit on the short side but I didn't want to leave folks wondering. Now I will be a bit MIA for the next couple of days due to a death in the family. Still hoping to post on Dear Maura as well…We'll see. and now? Enjoy!**

Jane felt Maura when she got there. She was bristling, angry with her she knew, but she had to see this through. Granted, she should have taken today given what happened last night but…

"Thank you JJ"

JJ opened her mouth to say something and thought better of it. With an apologetic shrug of her shoulders she left Jane to Maura's ministrations.

"Maura I…"

"Don't say a word…"She raised her hand and dropped it in frustration. "What am I going to do with you? Do you even care what you're putting your body through…what you're putting me through?" She tried to keep her voice steady, but Jane heard the break in it. Maura turned away from her and took a deep steadying breath. The doctor had insisted that she take it easy and that she take the medication that was prescribed. Jane was doing neither and she could see by the hollows under her eyes and the lines of pain in her face how she was feeling. How could she keep doing this to herself?

Jane watched the set of Maura's shoulders cursed under her breath. She screwed up, big time. She pushed herself to her feet carefully and gently touched her shoulder. When she didn't pull away, she leaned her head on her shoulder. Maura's hand came to touch her hair tenderly. Turning around she forced Jane to look at her.

"You can't keep doing this Jane." She held up her ring hand where the engagement ring Jane had given glittered in the light. "You made me a promise Jane Rizzoli," hand on her chest Maura let herself feel Jane's heartbeat. "You made me a promise."

Jane grabbed Maura's hand and held it against her chest. She leaned down and kissed her softly. "I _am_ sorry Maur, and you're right I did make you a promise. The press conference is in a few minutes. Let me see that through and…." She couldn't believe she was going to say this, "and I'll go home. I'll have Frost drive me and I won't look at anything case related until tomorrow."

Maura knew what it was costing Jane to say what she had and she did know how much Jane loved her. She had to, to even make such an offer. Knowing she would regret it, "After the press conference you will go downstairs. I'll pull out the cot we keep there and you _will _take a break." She kept her tone stern. She would compromise but on her terms this time.

"Yes ma'am." Jane grinned at her hoping to get a response.

She wasn't disappointed when Maura cupped her face and kissed her before smacking her lightly on the cheek.

"Next time its for real. Now come, I'll go with you, just to make sure you find your way back."

Jane couldn't help the chuckle that escaped her, as Maura took her by the elbow and walked out with her. Lord she was so whipped.

**xxxxxxxxxxx**

Hotch looked at his notes and grimaced. He truly hated this part of his job. Korsak had called in several favors and gotten so more information on the folks on their suspect list. So far, this Brandon Wilkins looked to be their lead suspect, but he couldn't tell the press that. He had to keep things as broad as possible, allowing his team to follow up on the information they had gotten.

He looked up as Jane came in with Maura. Shaking his head he tried not to laugh at the look on Jane's face.

"Are you alright Rizzoli?"

Jane looked at Maura before responding. "I will be."

Jane patted the seat next to her asking Maura to sit.

"I meant to ask you, what did you and Garcia talk about this morning in the coffee shop?"

"Why?"  
"One of the people we're looking at works there. According to Stanley he wiped your table down when you left."

Maura squinted her eyes in thought. "The young man with dark hair?" she thought for a moment. "Penelope was worried about Jordan, so we talked a bit about that, her fears about her background. How frightened she was when she ran out of the car last night."

Realization dawned on her, "Oh my goodness, what if he's the one? Jane we talked about the case and Jordan's role and I talked about your injuries. Dammit!"

"Language, Maur" Jane smiled a little sadly. "Its okay hon, you didn't know and we're still not one hundred percent sure its him."

"You're sure." She said simply, her face pained at what this meant.

"My gut tells me this is the guy, yeah." Jane bit her lip as she considered what Maura said. If this was their guy, he now had way more information than she would have liked. Shit.

Taking Maura's hand she squeezed it tightly. "It'll be okay Maur, lets just get through this."

She nodded to the others as they came in. Smiling as Emily took the seat next to her instead of JJ.

"She scared to sit next to me?" she said nodding toward JJ.

Emily laughed, "You could say that."

"Listen," Jane spoke to her quietly and told her what Maura had just explained.

"Dammit. I don't think we're going to find him. If he's smart, he's gone underground with the information he has."

"Only if he knows we're on to him." Morgan squeezed Emily's shoulders as he listened to them. "We could still get lucky."

Jane raised her cane, "We haven't so far."

Jordan came in holding hands with Garcia, and nodded to them.

"I'd say we already did." Morgan said as he sat with them.

**xxxxxxxxx**

They watched and listened as the press conference unfolded. By the time it was done. Jane's blood pressure was through the roof again and the same reporter who had harassed her the previous night had been escorted out.

"Tell me again why we had to do that?" Jane's head was pounding in beat with her leg and she was truly wishing she had listened to Maura and either stayed home or at least taken her pain meds.

"We had to address the explosion, you know that, but it's done. Now we get to work. Track these individuals down" Hotch had been briefed on the conversation that had been overheard and both Garcia and Maura had momentarily suffered not just his wrath but Cavanaugh's.

"Morgan and JJ, I want you to follow up on this Brandon Wilkins. Go to his apartment and check it out."

"Reid, you Korsak and Rossi, follow up on the others on our list. Frost is looking into the cases that involved their relatives," looking at Jane, "Like Wilkins' father. The circumstances surrounding their deaths may play into this."

"Emily, Jane, Jordan…" they sat up expectantly. "Two hours rest, mandatory."

"Hotch," Emily said warningly.

"No! You want to be involved? Then you follow my directives. In this case none of you are effective if you're hurting so bad you can't think straight. And Jane, yours is double, this is from Cavanaugh and me. No rest and you're off this case."

Jane ground her teeth and looked at Maura who just smiled sympathetically.

"Good. Talk to Korsak before he leaves, he'll set you up on a cot or you can go to the hotel."

"Hotel" Jordan and Emily looked at each other and chuckled. The beds were softer there and it was only a few minutes away.

"Fine, I'll have Morgan drop you off."

"Jane…" Maura nudged her, she would be much more comfortable in a bed.

She sighed, "Fine…Either of you mind a bunkmate for the next two hours?" She looked at Maura practically cross-eyed. "Happy?"

A quick peck on the cheek let Jane know she was.

"That's settled then, unless something comes up, we'll meet back here at 5pm."

**xxxxxxx**

Brandon Wilkins gathered up his rucksack and grabbed a couple of extra items to take with him. After watching the news conference he knew that he had to at least be on their radar now. They wouldn't find him, of that he was certain. Taking one last look around to make sure he had everything, he took everything out to his jeep. It was his father's, a big old Jeep Cherokee. He loved it. Stowing his gear he went back into the house to finalize some things. If they did come looking for him they were in for a big surprise.

**Yup, he's another nut…I love my lunatics. Anyway, I will be posting sooner rather than later but I'd love to know your thoughts….**


	12. Chapter 12 Just a feeling

**A/N: See, not too long a wait…life's been a bit rough the past few weeks so I apologize for any delay. I'm hoping to post every couple of days at least now that I'm finished with my original work…Enjoy...**

Morgan looked around the apartment that Brandon Wilkins' name was on and took note of the fact that there were no practically no personal items there at all.

"Did he stay here?" JJ asked this as she looked around. The apartment was bare. No curtains, just a couch and a couple of things in the fridge that had expired.

"Doesn't look like he's been here in a while." Morgan looked through some mail that he found in the empty bedroom. "Does he own a house?"

"I don't know, why?" JJ looked down at the envelope. It was from a mortgage company. Pulling on the flap she opened it, "Oops, damaged in the mail."

Morgan just chuckled as she read through the papers. Brandon Wilkins owned property. Well, he was left property by his father. It turned out his father owned a small house not far from the apartment.

"I'm guessing that's his actual residence Morgan."

"Well, lets call it in. See if we can get a couple of units to meet us there." Morgan looked around once more before walking out ahead of JJ. Letting her make the call for backup, he called Garcia.

"Yes! My chocolate kiss, what can I help you with." Morgan smiled as he heard laughter on the other end. "Is that Frost? Tell him not to be jealous…"

"Oh honey he's already jealous, I mean between you and Jordan…what's a girl to do." He could hear the smile in her voice and was glad to hear the old Garcia again.

"Listen Garcia, we have another address for Wilkins," he rattled off the address and continued. "Can you bring up specs of the house so we know what we're looking at."

"Sure sweetness, give me five and I'll send it to your phones."

"Thanks hon"

"Anytime lover." Her melodic voice was filled with laughter as she hung up.

JJ watched his face as he hung up.

"Garcia?"

"Yeah, she's sending us specs of the house we're headed to."

"Good, Korsak is heading over with two units. They'll meet us there." Pulling her phone out she saw Garcia's message. "Got it." She sent a quick text to Emily to let her know what was going on.

"All right, lets go."

**xxxxxxxxxx**

Emily put her phone back and lay back down.

"Who was that?" Gave up trying to get into a sitting position and lay back down.

"JJ" Emily groaned. "She and Morgan are headed to Wilkin's house"

"House? I thought it was an apartment?"

"Turns out he rented it but didn't really live there." Emily tried to get comfortable but her side was killing her.

"Wilkins…Wilkins…" Jane repeated his name over and over. What was it about that name?

"What's going on in that head Jane?" Emily recognized that thought process. Often when she was stuck on something she would just mull it over out loud until it clicked.

"I don't know." Jane stared up at the ceiling in frustration. The condition of her body was affecting her thinking; she knew that but something about that name… "Shit!"

"What?" Emily watched as Jane swung her legs off the bed. Neither of them was getting much rest right now.

"Can you call Jordan in here?"

"Sure, why?"

"Just do it, please. I need to check something." Pulling out her phone she called Frost. "Hey! I know, I know, listen…Wilkins, was he ever on the bomb squad?" She glanced over at Emily as her eyebrows rose. "Okay, don't ask…one more thing, was he a vet?" She waited while Frost looked up the information. A knock on the door let her know Jordan had arrived. Letting her in, she and Emily sat down on the chairs in the room to wait. "Thanks Frost…yes I know…what? Crap let Hotch and Korsak know will you, yeah all of it?"

"What is it?"

"I knew that name. Not just because of how he died. Wilkins used to be on the bomb squad. He made a mistake and removed himself from there, went back to patrol. That's how he ended up at the scene of that robbery."

Jordan rubbed the sleep out of her eyes as she looked at them both. She really had been falling asleep. "Why did you ask if he was a veteran?"

"Because of the weapon being used." Emily said, reality dawning.

"Its gotta be his father's rifle." Jane looked at Jordan for more.

"His father told him about the IED's." Jordan shook her head, what a mess.

"His dad either taught him or he taught himself. Either way…" Jane paused before continuing, "Brandon also failed the police psych evaluation. Never made it past Round 2."

"JJ and Morgan." Emily said softly. Looking at Jordan, "what do you figure the odds are that he _didn't _booby trap the house?"

Jordan paled at the thought, "zero."

**xxxxxxxxxxxx**

Frost finished briefing Hotch and waited while he tried to contact Morgan.

"He's not answering."

"Let dispatch know, Frankie is one of the officers headed that way he'll tell them."

Nodding Hotch contacted dispatch to relay the message to Officer Rizzoli.

Frost looked down at his phone and frowned at Jane's text.

"Who's that?"

"The crime lab, they have something for us."

"Good, go."

Frost hurried out and pulled out his phone as it buzzed again. He shook his head at the message in all caps. 'PICK US UP NOW FROST!'

"Dammit Jane" muttering to himself he knew she wouldn't stop. "Fuck!" Texting back, 'On my way.'

Lord he was going to be in so much trouble.

**xxxxxxxx**

Pulling up in front of the hotel he wasn't surprised to find all three women in the doorway waiting for him. Opening the door, "You do realize your respective partners are going to hurt me, right?"

"Relax Frost, we have good reason to disobey orders." Emily patted him on the shoulder as she took a seat in the back.

She frowned as she watched Jane get herself settled and knew that she out of all of them was doing more harm to herself than good but she refused to stay. Her eyes met Jordan's who's subtle nod told her she had seen the same thing.

"All in?" Doors closed he pulled out, still trying to get in touch with Morgan. "Jane call dispatch, Frankie's headed over there with them."

Jane gritted her teeth and made the call. She had a really bad feeling.

Emily sat in the back and sent text after text to JJ with no response when it hit her. "The fucking dead spots."

"What?" Jordan didn't have a clue what she was talking about.

"Frost?"

"Shit Prentiss, the house isn't far from the Rodriguez house." Frost pressed down on the accelerator and used his lights. He hadn't gotten confirmation from Frankie about having received Hotch's message.

**xxxxxxxxxx**

"Where's our back up?" Morgan pulled up and looked around. He didn't miss JJ's shiver. "It wasn't far from here was it?"

"No, it wasn't, just two blocks down. Did I ever tell you I never wanted to see this part of Boston again?"

"No."

"Well I didn't." JJ shook her head trying to get the visions of Rodriguez and his father out of her mind. She and Jane had almost died in the house a couple of blocks away. Looking around she didn't see anyone on the street. Most of the snow in the area was shoveled to the sides of the walk. It had been almost a year but she would never forget that basement or what Jane had done for her.

Morgan touched her shoulder lightly, not surprised when she jumped. "Hey, you okay Jayje?"

"Yeah, sorry, just bad memories."

"I know, it's the site of one of my greatest screw ups." His wry grin at her brought a smile to her face.

"We all screwed up that day Derek. We all did." Zipping up her coat she cleared her throat. "Well, are we going wait here forever?"

"No, let's look around outside while we wait for our back up." Getting out he adjusted his jacket. He hated wearing the vest underneath but at least he was warm. "Come on."

They had parked across the street and after looking around walked across the street.

"Looks harmless enough." He said.

"Uh huh…" Pulling out her weapon she smiled when Morgan followed suit. They were both uneasy. Clearing the front yard they headed around the side of the house. It was partially obscured by a large tree from the street and while Morgan took the lead, JJ brought up the rear. They had just reached the gate when they saw the two police cars pull up. One look was all they needed and they backed away to speak to the officers.

**xxxxxxx**

"How much further Frost." Emily glanced at Jane before asking.

"About five minutes." He looked over at Jane too, unsure of how to take her silence. She was just staring out of the window and he had hoped she had something in mind by coming out here. But there had been nothing.

Jordan, thought about what they knew about this young man. If he was who they were looking for, he was more than just dangerous, he was unpredictable as was evidenced by the IED. She knew men and women like that. She served with them. Some of them did what they did because they were trained to, others because they loved it. This young man was a combination of the two. He likely was brought up this way and it only took one failure, one negative to 'turn him into' what he was now.

"We need to hurry," Jane said quietly. They all looked at her in surprise. "It's a trap."

**xxxxxxxxxx**

Morgan moved to the front of the house with two of the officers, while JJ worked her way around the side again with Frankie and his partner. Reception was spotty with his earpiece, but he could hear JJ directing the men around the side gate entry.

They were going for a coordinated approach and it was his call. "Going in 3…2…1…" Knocking loudly, "Brandon Wilkins! This is the FBI." He waited as he listened to JJ direct Frankie through the gate and into the side yard. "Open the door." Counting down on his hand he motioned for the officer next to him to get the door. "Go JJ."

JJ nodded to Frankie and moved forward toward the back door.

Frankie's voice rung out across the yard. "JJ! Look out!"

**Yup… (hides behind sofa) I left it there…would love to know your thoughts…be nice now...**

**Shameless Plug: BTW I finally finished my original work, available now for kindle reader on Amazon. Its called Beauty of Fear by LE Perez. Check it out, you might like it :)**


	13. Chapter 13 Somebody's watching

**A/N: Heeheehee…I know I ended that last one on a umm cliffy but I couldn't resist…Truly…I tried but the little voice in my head said NOPE! Anyway since you were all so appropriately perturbed by it, look another update!**

JJ hadn't seen it, none of them had. They had cleared the yard carefully and looked over the back porch before stepping onto it. Only Frankie saw the lead attached to the doorknob from his angle. He was a step down and back from JJ but he couldn't stop her momentum. Her body went rigid as the electricity coursed through her. This wasn't just a shocking event, someone had connected a live current and JJ was caught. She was dying.

Frankie didn't think. He rammed into her the way he remembered reading that Frost had with Morgan at the hospital when they had all first met. He could hear yelling, but his ears were ringing as he shook off the jolt to his own body. They had both tumbled off the porch and his partner was already calling for help. Frankie crawled over to JJ and rolled her onto her back as her body twitched uncontrollably. She wasn't breathing.

"Shit!" He quickly started rescue breathing and checked for a pulse. "Come on JJ…don't do this…" He could hear Morgan yelling from the front of the house. They had an officer down. Dammit so did he. "Phillips get me an ambulance, NOW!"

Phillips called it in.

Frost looked over at Jane as they all heard the call. When he pulled up he saw Morgan wave frantically to him and he ran over.

"Where the hell is JJ?" Emily got out and scanned the area, seeing the open side gate, she hurried over.

Jane listened to the approaching sirens and looked around the neighborhood. She stopped Jordan from following Emily. "I need you to keep an eye open."

"You think he's still here?" Jordan's voice held a note of incredulity. "He wouldn't…"

"He would." Determined, Jane walked in the direction Emily had headed.

**xxxxxxxxxxx**

Emily couldn't move. She watched as Frankie did the breathing for JJ and performed CPR. She was dead…dead.

"Emily…" Jane saw what she was staring at and felt her heart constrict in her chest. No, not JJ. She saw the sweat dripping from her little brother's face even in the cold… He had opened up her jacket and taken the front of her vest off to properly perform CPR but he was tiring. Jane pulled Emily forward.

"Ambulance is on its way Em. Em! Look at me…she needs you." Emily nodded as she saw what Jane was doing. "Take over breathing, I'll do compressions."

"Your wrist." Emily said.

"Fuck my wrist Em unless you want me to kiss your girl!" Jane watched her take over for Frankie and breathe. She gritted her teeth and started her compressions.

Jordan jogged in and stopped at the sight. "Ambulance is here and two more squad cars."

Frankie looked up at her and stood up on shaky legs. "Bring them back here Phillips." He watched his partner run out of the yard and cursed. Jordan patted his arm. They both watched as Emily and Jane worked on keeping JJ alive.

**xxxxxxxxxxx**

Morgan sighed in relief when the ambulance pulled up. The officer he had get the door had burned his leg when a burst of heat had reflected back at him. It had smelled like phosphorous. This fucker Wilkins was starting to work his last nerve.

He watched the EMT's race to the backyard and realized that he hadn't heard from JJ.

"No!" Taking off at a run he barely acknowledged the presence of Frost's car at the scene. When he got there all he saw was a flurry of movement and a small body with blond hair on the ground. Pushing his way through he watched as Jane comforted Emily while the EMT's worked on JJ. They quickly got her onto a gurney and rushed past him, Emily close behind. When the ambulance pulled away he turned around, frantic. Seeing the person he was looking for he grabbed him. "What the hell happened Rizzoli?"

He didn't see the cane that cracked across his leg. "What the…" but he felt it.

"Let him go Morgan…" Jane's voice was deathly cold. "It was Wilkins not Frankie. Frankie kept her alive, are you hearing me?" Her voice shook as she said the words. "She's alive thanks to him."

She watched him as he took a deep breath. He had failed them once before and he felt like he had done the same again. She understood. She felt the same. She should have realized something sooner.

"He's here Derek." She whispered.

"What?" he looked down the street, "what do you…"

"I'm saying, think about it. Would he do this without wanting to see who he caught in his trap?"

"Why isn't he shooting then?"

Jordan answered, "Line of sight" she waved her arm. "Too many obstacles, can't be sure he'll hit what he aims at, besides, his goal is to create fear, uncertainty."

"You sound like a profiler" Morgan said.

"No, I just know his type." Jordan pulled out her cell and placed a call to Penelope. Jordan needed to hear her voice and she needed to know about JJ.

Jane tried to get the sight of JJ out of her mind as she addressed her brother. "What was it?"

"Live wire, connected to the door knob. I saw it just before she…she couldn't let go, Jane." He ran a shaking hand through his hair. "I just bum rushed her, you know and when I rolled her over she was twitching and…she wasn't breathing, I couldn't get a pulse…"

"Shh…its okay Frankie, you did good. Hell you did great." She hugged him tightly as if to reassure herself that he was okay. "Go get checked out."

"I'm fine, Jane."

"Now Frankie." Her tone brooked no argument and he was too shaken to argue. Watching him walk away she caught herself leaning heavily on the cane and straightened herself up. She refused to let this fucker see her like that.

"Frost, call Hotch. Update him please and lets see what this little fucker didn't want us to find in here."

**Xxxxxxxxx**

Emily sat back and watched as the EMT's continued to monitor JJ. She felt like her own heart had stopped when she saw her lying on the ground.

"Can I talk to her?" she whispered.

"Go ahead ma'am." He saw in her eyes that she was dying inside watching his patient like this.

Emily leaned in and whispered in her ear, "Jennifer…I hope you can hear me…I need you to fight okay. Don't let him win." She watched nervously as her body twitched again.

"Why?"

"The shock ma'am, it contracts the muscles. I can't give her anything for it until we get her stabilized." Nodding Emily watched as Jennifer's heart beat unsteadily. At least she had one now.

**xxxxxxxxx**

Morgan grabbed Jane's elbow as she stumbled. "Thanks." She shrugged him off and watched as the others arrived. She wasn't at all surprised to see Maura exiting one of the vehicles. With a profound sigh she moved toward her unashamed when Maura brought her arms around her.

"I'm fine Maur…JJ…"

"She's stable right now, Emily texted." Nodding, Jane swallowed the tears she didn't realize had formed.

Turning her attention to Hotch, "You're going to want to see what we found."

He followed her in while Reid and Rossi spoke briefly with Morgan about what had happened.

Leading the way, Jane walked into what she now thought of as Boston's nightmare. Everywhere you looked was something related either to the military or the police: books, posters, ammo cans. MRE's were strewn around the living room. It looked like he was living in an encampment.

Reid walked in, eyes widening. They had to change their profile a bit. The posters all reflected heroic figures. But the paraphernalia was all related to death, destruction. Old newspapers littered one corner. Looking through them he saw that all of the headlines were related to people identified as heroes. Pulling one out in particular he called over to Rossi.

"What is it kid?"

"We have a definite problem." He showed Rossi the newspaper.

"Sonofabitch! Hotch! Sgt Korsak!" They took the offered newspaper. Wilkins had superimposed his father's picture over Jane's. 'Hero Cop to be Honored at Banquet!'

"Korsak when did his father die?"

"Right after that banquet." Korsak looked around, "What the hell is wrong with this kid?"

"He wants to be a hero." Reid said quietly.  
**xxxxxxxxxx**

Jane stood in the doorway and shrugged off the chill that went through her. She knew he was watching and it killed her not to know where the hell he was. Maura was waiting to take her to the hospital to check on JJ while Korsak and Frost wrapped things up here. She was angry. This kid was one step ahead of them each time, but no more.

She jumped when Jordan tapped her on the shoulder, "Hey, sorry. You okay?"

"I will be…you coming?"

"Yes, Penelope is meeting us there."

**xxxxxxx**

They would be meeting back at the station at six. Hotch wanted everyone to take a break and see and talk to whomever they needed to.

By the time they got to the hospital, Emily was a mess. JJ had arrested in the ambulance after a seizure and was stable again but no one had come out to talk to her yet.

Jane watched as Maura and Garcia comforted Emily. Jordan was writing some notes down while they waited. Jane couldn't sit; she couldn't relax until she knew for sure that JJ would be okay.

"Hey Frankie!" She watched her brother shuffle down the hallway toward her. "You okay?"

"Yeah, somehow I wrenched my back when…when all that happened." He glanced over at Emily, "any word?"

"Not…"

"Jennifer Jareau? I'm looking for an Emily Prentiss?" The doctor took a step back when no less than six people came toward her. "Ms. Prentiss?"

"I'm Prentiss, Emily…you can say what you need to here. Is Jennifer?"

Dr. Price took a deep breath and nodded, "She's going to be fine. She took a hell of a jolt and it wreaked havoc on her body chemistry. Whoever performed CPR on site gave her the chance she needed. She wouldn't have survived otherwise."

Emily reached over and squeezed Frankie's hand tightly. "Go on, please."

"She has second degree burns on her left hand, apparently where she made contact. The current was strong enough to send her into arrhythmia, which is what stopped her heart and we've given her something to relax the muscle spasms. We'll be running some tests to insure that there wasn't any long- term damage to her heart. The body is not made to take in that much sustained voltage at one time. All in all, I'd say she is a very lucky woman."

"Thank God!" Garcia turned to hug Jordan, needing the comfort she found in her arms.

Emily's tears surprised them all and as Maura took her into her arms she asked quietly. "Can we see her?"

"Certainly, we're just getting her settled. She'll be in the Critical Care Unit for the night at least so that we can keep her monitored, so only two people at a time."

"Thank you Dr. Price."

"I'll have the nurse let you know when she can have visitors." Dr Price blew out the breath he had been holding. That could have been a very different conversation if they hadn't gotten to her so quickly.

"She's going to be okay…she's going to be okay…" Emily couldn't stop herself. She had seen her future gone when Jennifer had flatlined. Everything just felt surreal.

"Hey…" Jane made Emily look at her, "She's going to be okay Em."

Emily nodded, her compartments had been shattered when she saw JJ so still. She was trying desperately to rebuild them but she couldn't right now and she knew why. The engagement ring she had brought with her to Boston was burning a hole in her pocket. She had bought months ago and couldn't find the right moment to ask JJ to marry her. Now she had almost lost that chance. The fates weren't always kind to her and she knew that but still she had waited. No more what ifs. No more later…she knew there might not be a later.

She wiped her eyes and stood up straight. She wanted Wilkins dead, period, end of story. No one else would be hurt. Locking eyes with Jane, Emily knew she understood.

She took a seat again to wait for the nurse to come get her.

**So? Am I forgiven? No? Damn….Oh well, would love to know your thoughts on my little loon and how you think the team might catch him. I already have that part but I'm always curious what you all think...**

**BTW-Coachkim-Thanks so much! She read my book Beauty of Fear on Amazon and liked it :) Made me smile…of course then I got cussed out about the cliffy so….**


	14. Chapter 14 Newsflash

**A/N: Okay folks here's another update for you! Your reviews have had me laughing out loud. Some of you already guessed where this was headed, so I didn't change it but how we get there, that's all me. Enjoy!**

Brandon disconnected the call and frowned. The hospital wasn't releasing any information on the blonde. He didn't know for sure if his little trap had taken one of them down or not but he certainly hoped so. He had watched all of their faces as they loaded her in the back of the ambulance. It didn't look good and he knew they would have to talk to the news soon enough, he could be patient.

Putting the phone in his pocket he looked around the room he was in. It was a shabby motel but it suited him. No questions, no ID, cash money. Perfect. Frowning he realized all they would have found inside the house but none of that would help them. He was meant for greater things. His father had spoken to him often about his life in the military and had taught him out to disarm simple explosive devices by the time he was twelve. His dad was his best friend and his hero. He should have been the one to be exalted not Rizzoli, not anyone else. His father was a hero. Brandon had wanted to be one too but the police had given him the boot. There were other ways to be recognized though. Before he was through, everyone would know who he was.

**xxxxxxxxxxx**

Emily ran her hand along JJ's forehead and down the side of her face. She had almost lost her. In the blink of an eye Jennifer could have been gone and all they would ever be together would have gone with her. She took a deep shuddering breath and released it slowly. Looking at the machines monitoring her she was grateful to see a normal heart rate.

It was late but she wasn't leaving, not yet. She would have to soon enough if they were going to pull off their ruse. She didn't like it, but Jane's idea was a sound one. Let him think he succeeded this time. Pull him off balance a bit. Hotch had initially balked at the idea but Jane and Morgan both had convinced him. Even Rossi had agreed it was probably the best way they had right now to rattle Wilkins" cage.

"Hey baby, the doctor says you should have woken up by now but that this is your body's way of healing. You scared the hell out of me Jennifer. When I saw you…" her breath caught as she relived that moment. "Jane's little brother saved you. I guess I owe the Rizzoli's big, don't I?"

"You don't owe us anything Emily." Jane's quiet voice surprised her. She hadn't heard her come in. "How is she? Changing the subject she turned Emily's attention back to JJ.

"Better I think. She still hasn't woken up. Jane if Frankie hadn't acted so quickly…"

"Stop Em…Don't think that way. Just be thankful that he was there" Jane knew the what ifs, she was more aware than most.

Emily nodded and looked back at JJ. "You sure we're doing the right thing?"

"We have to draw him out. If he thinks JJ's dead he might get careless. He'll still be trying to set us up of course but we know that know, we're not going in blind and with all that we found at his house, I think the others have been able to work up a better profile now." Jane looked around a with a wan smile. "Do you mind if I sit?"

"No, of course not." She watched as Jane eased herself into the chair. She looked exhausted. "Damn Jane, have you gotten any rest at all?"

"No she hasn't." Maura pushed the door open wider and let herself in.

"Maur…"

"Don't Maur me, Jane Rizzoli. You aren't taking advantage of any down time at all. Please Jane." Walking over to her she kneeled down in front of her. "Its late, Hotch has scheduled a briefing for tomorrow morning, it's time to go home."

Emily watched them together envious of the obvious commitment they had made to one another. It wasn't so long ago that she knew Jane viewed hers and JJ's relationship the same way.

"Go home Jane, get some rest." Emily knew everyone else had headed out now that it looked like JJ was out of danger, plus they had to maintain appearances and it wouldn't do for more than one or two of them to be at the hospital in case Wilkins was watching.

"We need you fresh Jane." Emily nodded to Maura as she pulled Jane up. "Go with Maura, I'll check in with you later."

Jane looked over at JJ and back to Emily. "I'll go, but you call us if you need anything." Maura hooked her arm through Jane's.

"I promise. Go." She walked over to her and hugged her briefly. "Thank you again, tell your brother…" tears choked her throat.

"I will, come on Maura." Jane left feeing a little better about leaving Emily there.

**xxxxxxx**

Morgan sat on the bed and stared into space. He was still a bit stunned about all that had transpired in over just a few hours. JJ almost died. He had felt himself flash back to Emily and could still see her lying there with the wood sticking out of her chest. He shuddered and that vision changed to JJ, jacket and vest off with Rizzoli frantically doing CPR. "God…"

"Morgan"

He jumped, "Dammit kid…I didn't hear you come in."

"Sorry…you okay?" He knew how he felt knowing what had happened to JJ. He had calculated the odds in his head for her survival and the only factor that weighed positively had been Officer Rizzoli's quick action. The odds he had calculated if he hadn't acted that way had all been skewed and resulted in JJ's death.

"We almost lost her man…damn."

"But we didn't Morgan…we may have a chance to catch him now that we didn't have before."

"I know kid, I know…doesn't make the sight of it any easier."

**xxxxxxxxxxxx**

Jordan watched as Penelope came out of the bathroom. She had been crying again.

She got up and pulled Pen into her arms, "Ah mi amor, she's going to be okay."

"I know Jordan, I do but…he's getting to close, I mean last you…and the others, today, JJ." Pen ran a hand along the bandage on Jordan's side and back. The bruises that ran alongside them were hurting her she knew. "I don't know what I would do if I lost one of you. If I lost you."

Jordan held tightly. What they were hoping to do to draw him out was going to put a few of them in the line of fire. It was a gamble they were willing to take. Hotch had arranged for Jordan to be on paid leave for a week as a consultant. She didn't know how that was going to fly with her bosses but right now, she didn't care. All she card about was the woman in her arms and those she loved.

"Have faith querida, it will all be over soon."

"She almost died Jordan" Penelope's whisper brought on fresh tears and Jordan led her to the bed.

"I know querida, I know… let's think about the good okay. She's alive."

"But…"

"Shh…no mas…tranquila mi amor, Hotch said to get rest, and that is what we will do." She reached over and turned off the light, before gathering Penelope in her arms.

"Tomorrow is going to be crazy Jordan…"

"I know, but that's tomorrow."

**Xxxxxxxxxxx**

Frost stopped the car and looked at Frankie.

"You did good Frankie."

"Thanks Frost…I…do you mind if we go to the Robber? I need a drink." Frankie ran a hand through his hair and chuckled. "Is this how Jane feels?"

"How often do we go to the Robber?"

"Yeah…I guess I just answered my own question. Thanks Frost"

"Anytime my friend."

**xxxxxxxxxxxx**

Hotch finished up with Korsak and Rossi and sat back. "What do you think?"

"I think that I wish we could have spoken to JJ first but I'm sure Emily has that covered." Rossi said. "Did you call her parents?"

"Yes, I promised them that I would have JJ get in touch with them as soon as she could. I didn't want to go into detail but then I thought about the news conference and realized they needed to know the extent of what had happened."

"Are they coming?" Korsak asked.

"Yes." Hotch leaned forward and looked at the report he received. The items found in the house were frightening. One agent and one officer down. They needed to get a handle on this man before he could hurt anyone else. "We have a city on alert and no one seems to have seen him."

Rossi heard the frustration in his voice and knew that he was blaming himself for what had happened. "Hotch, this kid is unpredictable we know why now. There were just too many variables playing into his psyche. The last straw was being rejected by the police. Unstable Hotch. That means we couldn't have prevented something from happening."

"But we might have been able to prevent this" he said in disgust. "Alright, tomorrow is going to be a telling day. With any luck, we'll be able to draw him out and he will make a mistake."

**xxxxxxxxxxx**

Jane followed Maura in and collapsed on the couch. Maura glanced at her and shook her head before going to the kitchen and getting her a glass of water.

Handing the glass over she also gave her two pills.

"Maur," Jane said hoarsely "I don't want…"

"No Jane, you will…you are dead on your feet and I can tell by the way you are holding yourself that you are in a lot of pain. You didn't rest, you're beyond stressed." She sat down next to her and made Jane look at her. "Even you can't keep this up without paying a price. Please Jane. If not for you, then for me."

Jane opened her mouth and shut it again. That was dirty pool, but Maura was right. She felt like she was walking a razor's edge. Her body, even her mind felt like they were shutting down. Grabbing the pills she wrapped her hand around Maura's. "I'm sorry."

"I know." She watched while Jane took the pills and downed them with the water. Sitting back on the couch she pulled her close and started to play with her hair, knowing it was one of the things that relaxed her. It didn't take long before Jane's even breathing told her she was asleep.

"Oh Jane…"she murmured.

**xxxxxxxxxxxxxx**

Emily started awake, unsure of what had disturbed her. Then she felt it. She looked over at the bed her hand was resting on to find the most beautiful blue eyes staring back at her.

"Jennifer?" she whispered.

"Hey…" Her voice was hoarse but it was hers.

"Oh God Jennifer…" Emily brought her hand up to her lips and cried.

'Shh…"Jennifer reached over with her other hand and groaned. "Oh…ow…what happened?"

"Don't honey, don't move around too much yet."

JJ nodded and swallowed. She felt like she went a couple of rounds with Morgan. They stayed quiet for a few minutes, just grateful for the other's presence, until finally,

"What happened Em?" Emily took a deep breath before explaining. The shock on Jennifer's face was almost too much to bear as she brought a hand to her bruised chest.

"So this asshole almost got lucky again?" The anger in her voice was tempered with pain. "Shit…ow…" The monitor she was attached to beeped ominously.

"Relax Jennifer, please…" she smiled tenderly at her, thankful to a God she sometimes forgot she believed in. "I'm going to let them know you're awake okay?" Pressing the call button she smiled at her.

"Okay," she whispered tiredly. "Okay, so what's the plan?"

"Don't worry about that right now, just rest, please."

"Em…" she didn't get to finish. Once the nurse walked in Emily backed away so she could check JJ's stats. Emily quickly pulled out her phone and sent a group text. She had promised regardless of the hour.

'She's awake.'

**xxxxxxx**

Brandon watched the news report and pounded on the bed. They still hadn't said much. Just that an officer had been injured and was listed in serious condition and an agent was listed in grave condition. He muttered to himself as he wondered how they could have escaped again when they broke in with updated news.

'_It is now being reported that the FBI agent injured in the assault on the home of suspect Brandon Wilkins has died. We report the agent injured in the assault on the home has succumbed to her injuries. They are not releasing her name pending notification of her family. The Boston Police will be holding a press conference tomorrow morning at 10am. Our sympathies are with the agent's family at this time. The public is again reminded to contact the Boston PD with any information regarding the location of Brandon Wilkins, age…'_

Turning off the television he jumped out of bed. "Yes! One down…how many more to go?" He started pacing, he hoped to get one but he was beginning to think they all had nine lives. Not anymore, now he knew, they _were_ vulnerable. If he could get to one, he could get to all.

"Rizzoli, definitely Rizzoli and her little doctor girlfriend….ooh! And the one who warned them about the IED…." Rubbing his hands together gleefully, he started making plans….

**Told you, I loooove my lunatics, they are just so much fun….let me know what you think, please, reviews really do prompt writing :) your humble bard...**

**Oh, and again, my shameless plug-My pre fanfic characters can be experienced in my book : Beauty of Fear, available on Amazon for kindle reader or kindle apps. At least take a look at the sample…you might like it. **


	15. Chapter 15 Targeting

**A/N: No, no…I haven't forgotten you all, see, here's an update and I'm working on the next chapter already! Thank you for hanging in there.**

Maura looked at her phone and breathed a sigh of relief. JJ was awake. She looked over at Jane's sleeping form and ran a hand down her arm. Jane was exhausted. She hadn't even given her a fight when Maura had woken her to go to bed. After helping her get settled she had stepped away for just a few minutes and found that Jane had fallen asleep again. It was a restless sleep, but at least she was finally getting some rest.

Maura thought back to the circumstances that had brought them all together and thanked the fates that Frankie had known what to do. By all rights JJ should be dead. Any indecision on Frankie's part and today would have ended very differently for all of them. Rolling over she spooned her fiancée and smiled as she shifted in her sleep to meet Maura. Tomorrow they would enact Jane's plan and while she still wasn't the religious sort, she sent up a little payer that this ended without anyone else getting hurt.

**Xxxxxxxxxx**

Jordan glanced at her phone as it lit up and reached for it, smiling as Penelope held on tighter in her sleep. Letting out a sigh of relief she put the phone back and snuggled back in. She had some idea about how Wilkins would react to the news of JJ's death and she worried about who he would target next. Based on what had been found and her discussion with Jane and Hotch, he would definitely target someone specifically. Part of their meeting tomorrow morning involved figuring out who the likeliest targets would be.

She wrapped her arms around Pen and thought about how lucky she was to have her. She didn't deserve her, not with her past, but if getting this nut off the street helped to redeem her, so be it.

**xxxxxxxxx**

"I'm what?" she croaked. JJ glared at Emily knowing she couldn't possibly have said what she thought.

The nurses had left but not before letting them know that Jennifer was responding well. They were concerned about her EKG readings but they would continue to monitor her overnight in CICU. They would be running some tests early in the morning so she needed to get some rest. That didn't look like it was happening anytime soon.

Emily swallowed before answering, "You're dead Jennifer." The words felt awful and it actually turned her stomach just to say it.

When JJ tried to sit up, Emily held her down. "Hear me out Jennifer."

"Em…my parents?" Panic was setting in as she realized what her parents would go through if they thought another child had died.

"They know Jen…Hotch called them and they called me. You know we would never even suggest something like this if we weren't desperate, but dammit Jennifer he almost killed you." Glancing at the monitors she tried to calm her down. "Please Jen relax, I'll explain everything."

JJ let her head fall back against her pillow as she listened to Emily's impassioned plea. Taking as deep a breath as she could, she listened as Emily outlined Jane's idea, ears perking at certain bits. "Do you think this will work Em?" she said tiredly.

Emily nodded, "Based on what they found at his house? I think there's a good chance it will. We have to try."

"What about me?" She did not plan to be in the hospital any longer than necessary. As soon as she was given the all clear, she wanted out.

"Like I said. As far as anyone outside of this investigation knows, you're dead. You can come and go as you please. Be our extra eyes and ears, but only _after_ the doctor gives the go ahead." Emily knew that she had to concede that much to her but she detested the idea. She wanted Jennifer safe, but she didn't want her to hate her and she knew better than anyone that Jennifer needed to feel useful.

JJ looked at her and saw the strain this had put on her, "You don't sound to happy about that baby." She ran a hand along the side of Emily's face, which Em captured.

Emily considered her words before she blurted out, "I just…I want to be sure that my future wife is healthy before she tries to go after any bad guys, that's all." She waited while she let her words sink in. The shock on JJ's face was enough to make her laugh but the sudden beeping from the monitors made her immediately regret her words. "Damn, damn, I'm sorry."

JJ looked at her partner, her best friend, her lover and realized what must have gone through Emily's mind when she had gotten hurt. Correction, when she had almost died. But she couldn't be asking…"No…it's…Emily Prentiss did you just ask me to marry you?" She shifted toward her, "Don't ask me something like that because of what happened, I couldn't…" Emily's lips silenced any further objections.

"Never…" Pulling the ring out of her pocket, she gingerly opened the box and showed JJ the ring she had bought months ago.

"I couldn't…I was always scared you would say no, or it was never the right time, but when I saw you lying there I realized it didn't matter. Whether your answer was yes or no, I was never going to leave your side. I didn't see a life for myself without you Jennifer. Je t'aime Jennifer" She said it quietly and in a rush. Casting her eyes downward she found herself unable to meet JJ's eyes. This wasn't how she had the proposal worked out in her head, nowhere near…

JJ reached out and took the ring, amazed at its beauty. It wasn't overly feminine and the diamonds appeared to be encrusted halfway around the platinum band, my God it was beautiful.

"Emily," she whispered huskily, "what took you so long?"

Emily heard what she said and looked up in surprise. "You'll marry me?"

"Idiot, of course I'll marry you. You have awful timing but…" her smile couldn't hide the tears that fell and Emily did all she could to kiss them away.

"Jennifer Jareau don't you ever scare me like this again." She said fiercely. She scooted onto the bed and lay against her.

Smiling JJ leaned in mindful of the wires she was attached to. She hurt, she was angry, she almost died, but right now, she was exactly where she wanted to be.

**xxxxxxxxxxxxxx**

Korsak read through Frankie's report again and shook his head. This case had turned into one hell of a cluster. Taking a sip of his coffee he nodded as Hotch and Rossi came in. Both men were early but they obviously had the same idea he did, to review everything they had before the others came in for the meeting. In keeping with their ruse, the flags at Boston precincts were flying at half-staff and the news had run the report again about Jareau's death with the early morning news. It galled him to have to go this far but he had agreed with Jane, even if it did put a target on some of their backs. At least the damage this guy could cause might be more contained.

"You're here early…" Hotch said as he took a seat and rubbed at his face. He was exhausted. He had refused to let himself fall asleep until he got the text from Prentiss and then found that he couldn't really sleep at all. Rossi had been no better and the men had been up part of the night adjusting their profile.

"If you don't mind me saying," Korsak started, "you both look like shit."

"You don't look so hot yourself old man." Rossi grinned at him as he gulped from his own cup of coffee. "How long have you been here?"

"About an hour, I was reviewing yesterday's report and the info we have so far." Looking at the two men, "Is Prentiss going to be here this morning?

"I told her not to be, but Prentiss doesn't always listen. Emotionally our guy can take it one of two ways. If he has been watching then he knows they are a couple. A person who suffers a loss will either be unable to function and stay with their loved one or want vengeance in a situation like this."

Rossi spoke up, "he seems to find women unworthy of being labeled as heroes, judging from the items we found. I wonder if during the press conference you shouldn't play that up a bit Hotch."

"Tout JJ as a hero? I planned to, but I hadn't thought of that, we also want to highlight Officer Rizzoli for his attempt to save her then."

"That'll set him up as a target you know." Korsak knew it would be a hard sell with Jane to set up her little brother.

"Not if you are specific about his connection to Jane and highlight that." Jordan and Garcia came in with a box of breakfast pastries and set them down. Jordan kept talking. "He'll go after Jane then and those she loves."

"Why do you think that?" Rossi was looking at Jordan with a newfound respect.

"Jane has been the face of this investigation. He's obviously been…hung up? On her for awhile now. If you discuss JJ's 'death' and minimize Officer Rizzoli's part…" She looked at Korsak, "Your Detective Frost said that Jane has been very visible, no?"

"That's right." He wondered where she was going but Rossi and Hotch both understood.

"His perceived success yesterday will embolden him. He is in military mode, you understand, don't you?" She looked from Korsak to Rossi, knowing from Garcia that both were former military.

Hotch is the one who spoke up, "He already has his next target chosen. Shit!" Looking at them all he smiled grimly. "Afghanistan. We had a problem while I was there with a couple of soldiers in a unit. They had been out there a little too long." Jordan nodded knowingly.

"So today's press conference is going to be our way of refocusing him. Subtly highlighting his success and refocusing the investigation." Rossi finished speaking just as the others came in.

Feeling their eyes on her Jane looked around, "What?"

**xxxxxxxxxxx**

With everyone but Emily now present they started to go over Hotch's remarks for the press conference.

"Garcia, I want you to check with local motels, check the seedier side of town, see if anyone has checked in during the past 48 hours who might match his description. I doubt he would be foolish enough to use a credit card or id so…"

"I can help her with that." Frost nodded at her and smiled.

"He may have changed his appearance somewhat since we identified him." Morgan looked up from the file in front of him.

"No worries my sweet. I'll be pulling out the stops to track this nut job. I refuse to allow any more of you get hurt." Her fierceness surprised them and all eyes turned to her. "What? You're all feeling the same way…" Jordan squeezed her hand and smiled.

"Yes we are…" Emily walked in quietly and took a seat behind Jane.

"Prentiss what are you…"

"Hotch, please. I have to be here, if…if Jennifer had died I _would_ be inconsolable and I wouldn't be here, but I want this bastard Hotch and he can't know how I would react. Let him think I'm a loose cannon. I won't be though, I promise." She waited while they all processed what she said. She absolutely hated leaving Jennifer this morning, but she couldn't stand idly by while this man targeted someone else she cared about.

"Emily…"

"No Rossi, I need to be here." She looked over at Jane, "You know I'm right."

Nodding Jane leaned forward and pointed at pictures that were taken at Wilkin's house. "It can't hurt to have her Hotch and she's right, if he thinks she might be a loose cannon, he may well dismiss her as being a distraction to us."

"Which is to our benefit." Morgan nodded appreciatively. The thinking was twisted in a way but in this case it made sense.

"Jane you realize that you are the most likely target for him." Hotch met her eyes, relieved when he was met with a look that told him she understood.

"Wait," Maura hadn't spoken till then, listening to the planning and trying desperately to ignore this very obvious conclusion.

"Maura, you are too." Jane took her hand, "I'm not going to be his only target. He will have multiples. The idea is to get him to focus…on one."

Maura opened her mouth and shut it. It was rare for her to be at a loss for words but she was. She couldn't argue the logic and that made her angry. Getting to her feet she walked out without a word.

"Dammit." Jane said putting her head in her hands. . She didn't go after her, she couldn't.

No one said anything until Reid stood up, "I'll be back." He hurried after her hoping to explain their reasoning. He hated to see anything like this come between his friends.

"She'll come around Janie."

"You think so Vince?" Her voice broke as she spoke. With a deep shuddering breath she ignored how she was feeling. "We have fifteen minutes Hotch, are we ready?"

Hotch nodded grimly hoping this wasn't a mistake.

**Xxxxxxxxxxxx**

Reid caught up to Maura by the elevators, "Maura wait!"

"Spencer…I can't. She's not indestructible, doesn't she see that?" He pulled her into his arms as she started to cry.

"She's not pretending to be Maura. Believe me, she's thought this out and you are a primary concern and a target yourself. She needs to shift the focus away from you. And unfortunately, it makes sense. I don't believe for one moment that she's purposely trying to hurt you."

"But she is Reid. She should have told me, she should have…" Maura thought about their evening and how Jane had practically passed out when they had gotten home. Then this morning, they had hurriedly gotten ready and come into the station. There hadn't really been time to discuss much of anything, but still…

Reid let her go as he sensed her working things through. "Okay?"

"Thank you Spence, I guess I just needed a moment and some clarity."

"That's what friends are for." Smiling at her, he was glad to have been able to help. "Are you going to come to the press conference?"

"I'll be there."

**xxxxxxxxxxxxxx**

Brandon watched the breaking news and couldn't stop the laughter that escaped him. They looked broken. The brunette who he had seen with the agent he had gotten was off to one side, barely restrained by the big guy. He kept listening and straightened up when Rizzoli limped up to the podium and pushed the agent aside to speak to the press.

"Brandon Wilkins, we know who you are and we know who your father was. You are not your father. We will find you and we will bring you to justice." He watched as she looked over at the brunette and turned back to the mike. "_I_ will find you."

The newsies went crazy trying to ask her questions and he smiled grimly as he watched her being removed from the room by one of the detectives and an agent.

"Ah Detective, challenging me isn't nice…you're never going to find me, but I _will_ find you." He turned the television off as one of the morning shows cut in. Pacing the room he stopped and looked out of the window. He needed to think things through. She challenged him, how dare she? Saying he wasn't his father…of course not, he was better. All of him and more…

Pulling out his bag he took out his rifle and started to put it together. Snapping everything in place he looked through the scope and smiled as he targeted a stop sign two blocks over. Pulling the trigger he grunted at the click. He knew he would be able to take her out whenever he wanted, but he wanted the maximum impact. Biting his bottom lip he sat on the bed and wrapped his arms around the rifle, rocking on the bed. When and where, when and where, that's all he had to work out. Looking at his weapon he smiled. He was the how.

**Natural break folks (That's right Luckdog!) Anyway, I'm working on next chapter already as well as some of my other ones. Please let me know what you think, good or bad…We'll learn a bit more about Brandon next chapter… Review, please!**

**Shameless plug: I'm published! Take a gander at Beauty of Fear by LE Perez on Amazon. It's free this weekend…you might like it. :)**


	16. Chapter 16 Peekaboo I see you

**A/N: Life can be quite a challenge sometimes. I do apologize for the time between posting, but a change at work, my mother's unexpected illness, and good old fashioned writer's block across the board have resulted in the delay. I hope you are all still with me...**

**"**So, what do we think?" Jane glanced at the door longingly. Maura had been noticeably absent, she hadn't seen her at the press conference at all.

"I think you all deserve Emmy's for your performances." Rossi smiled approvingly, " Morgan, Emily, great job acting so upset."

"Who says I was acting?" Emily growled. Just before heading out for the press conference, Emily had gotten a phone call from the hospital. Jennifer's parents had arrived just before she left and her mother had called to let her know that they were taking Jennifer in for further testing. Her EKG had primarily stabilized overnight but there was significant spiking at certain points that was of concern to the doctor. The phone call had upset Emily enough that Morgan really had to restrain her.

"I know kiddo, I'm sorry." Rossi patted her on the shoulder and looked over at Jane who had refused to take a seat. "You all did great."

"Rizzoli, sit." Hotch's tone brooked no argument and she pulled out a seat. "Okay then, we've set the trap so to speak. Jane, you go nowhere alone, do you understand?" He looked at the others, "No one does."

"Hotch are you thinking this guy is going to change his M.O.?" Morgan looked over at the two brunettes and back to his boss.

"Not completely, no. Think about it though, Jane just challenged him. It may prompt him to take a more personal approach."

"He has to make sure she is not a hero again." Jordan put in her two cents.

"True, so ideas people…what are we thinking?"

"He'll go after me." Maura stood in the doorway with Reid who squeezed her hand encouragingly. "I watched the press conference." She focused her gaze on Jane, "Your challenge was pretty clear."

"As it was meant to be," Rossi said.

"Except that after speaking with Dr Isles I think she's right." Reid saw their surprise and raised a hand, "No really, hear me out. He's going to want to hurt you Jane. You challenged him and since we know now how close he has actually been to us, he likely knows about your relationship."

"No!" Jane stood up and faced her, "No Maura." The panic in her voice at the idea reminded everyone of why she called them in the first place.

"Shit!" Emily shook her head and looked at Morgan, "told you he gave me the creeps. I can't believe we missed the signs at the college. We could've…"

"Stop it right there Prentiss," Hotch raised his voice a notch, " we didn't know anything then and we cannot start thinking that way, it gets us nowhere.''

"Yes sir." Her derisive tone earned her a glare from him before she looked away.

Jane could feel her heart pounding in her chest at the panic she felt rising there. This wasn't the plan. This was exactly what she was trying to avoid, anyone else getting hurt, especially Maura.

"Maura…" Jane looked at Hotch and Korsak. "No…no…"

"Jane"

"No Morgan, this wasn't the plan, we can't be sure…Reid could be wrong…" She didn't even know what else to say. Emily walked over and squeezed her shoulder; she knew that panic, intimately.

"It'll be okay Jane. We won't let anything happen to her." Rossi knew as soon as the words were out of his mouth that it was the wrong thing to say.

"And how the hell do you plan on making sure of that Rossi? We've done such a bang up job so far haven't we?" She gestured wildly. "I don't see JJ here, do you?"

"Enough!" Hotch and Korsak looked at each other as both bellowed the same words.

"Enough Rizzoli." He said more quietly. "This is exactly what he wants. We have to be able to rely on each other, trust each other." Hotch watched as she worked at calming herself down.

She took a deep breath before answering him, "How soon do you expect him to make a move." Her voice full of emotion.

Jordan answered, "anyone else would think it through before acting. Not him, he's going to act quickly hoping to keep us off balance."

"Exactly," Reid said. "With JJ's 'death' he's going to strike while we are still reeling."

"So where does that leave Maura?"

"Protected Jane. I promise." Morgan walked over to her and extended his hand.

Jane looked into his eyes and nodded. She knew in that instant that he would die before he let anything happen to her. Hopefully it wouldn't ever come to that.

"How did this all get so fucked up?" Jane was speaking mostly to herself but turned to face Maura. "Please don't take any chances."

"I won't but I expect the same from you Jane." Maura spoke quietly but firmly holding her gaze.

"No chances Maura. We all just have to work at keeping each other safe." Jane looked at the others and smiled. "I trust all of you, really."

"Well my little cannoli isn't that just the nicest thing you've ever said." Garcia walked in with Frost and put her laptop on the table in front of Hotch. Jane couldn't stop the ghost of a smile that crossed her face.

"My mini chocolate God and I have found four possible locations using the parameters you gave us." Garcia just smiled at the mortified look on Frost's face.

"That's great Garcia. Morgan you're with Rizzoli, Reid with Frost. Prentiss if you're sure you're up to this I want you with Rossi and Korsak you're with me."

Jordan opened her mouth to object. "Jordan, I want you to stay with Dr isles and Garcia. If we find anything we'll call in. I want you armed though. Korsak?" Garcias

"I'll take care of it." He and Hotch had already discussed the matter with Jordan. She was a parole officer with a license to carry both professionally and in her private life and she was still in the military. Getting her permission to carry in Boston had been a simple enough matter.

"Lines open people and no one takes any chances. Understood?" He was speaking to all of them but looking directly at Jane and Emily.

"Understood."

Xxxxxxxx

Emily stared out the window chewing a fingernail.

"Hey kiddo, this will all work out you know." Rossi tried to keep his voice light. This was a side of Emily he hadn't seen since Doyle.

She didn't look at him, "I asked her to marry me," she said quietly.

Glad she couldn't see the shock on his face, he couldn't help but smile. It was about time.

"Took you long enough."

She turned to face him and was taken aback by the anger in her eyes.

"She almost died Rossi and ..." Her voice broke and she turned toward the window again. She couldn't fathom the what might have been. She took a deep breath and tried to shut the anger away, she had a job to do.

"Emily, no one would think less of you if you went to her. You don't have to work this case."

"Yes I do." Her voice was like ice.

Concentrating on the road he just shook his head. She was ready to blow.

Xxxxxxxxx

Maura sat with Garcia while Jordan reviewed some of the other items recovered at Wilkins home. Garcia had just gotten off the phone with JJ's parents.

"How is she Pen?"

"Better, her mother said they had to give her something to stabilize the arrhythmia. But that she's responding well. Plus she's pissed that Emily left apparently."

"Ah…well thank goodness." Jane had been beside herself about JJ. Her worry for others at the exclusion of herself is what made her crazy.

"Are you and my sweet cannoli okay?" Pen's voice held a hint of worry after hearing from Jordan all that had happened."

Sighing Maura patted her hand, "we will be. We just need to work through some of this."

"She'll be careful don't you think?"

"Pen she's…angry. She lets her heart guide her when she's like that. She goes on her gut, as she likes to say." Angry she slapped her hand on the table. "Her 'gut' is going to get her killed one day."

Pen heard the naked fear in her words and looked at Jordan for help.

"Maura, she will be careful, as careful as she can be. But she id doing what she feels is her duty. You can't fault her for that."

"Jordan I love her for that and more, it's who she is, but I need her to come home to me."

"Oh honey she will, she will always come home to you, she's Jane after all."

**xxxxxxxxxxx**

Jane left the cane in the SUV ignoring Morgan's glare.

"Jane."

"Can it Morgan. I'm limping with or without it and I'd much prefer to use my gun hand." She pulled her gun out of her holster and checked the safety. "Coming?"

He couldn't help smiling at her cockiness. He knew how much her leg was hurting but her heart was hurting worse. She wanted this guy off the street before he hurt anyone else.

The motel they had gone to was definitely off the beaten path, it looked abandoned on the outskirts of Boston, but Garcia had confirmed it as one of four motels matching their search criteria. Morgan took the lead and walked ahead of her to the lobby. With any luck, they would find him at one of the four locations.

**xxxxxxxx**

Frost drove silently, watching as Reid muttered a bit under his breath. It wasn't until he finally pulled over in front of the motel that he turned to him.

"Mind me asking what you were doing?"

"Hmm?" Confused, Reid looked at him, "Sorry, I was going through the catalogue of things we found in Wilkin's home and something didn't make sense."

"What's that?"

"The amount of materials he had available to create incendiary devices, basically more IED's."

"What about it?" Frost asked.

"There was evidence of substantial quantities having been there but not much was found. So where is it all."

"Shit!" Frost grabbed his cell and dialed Korsak. "I think we have a problem."

**xxxxxxxx**

Korsak listened to Hotch as he called the others and warned them about what Reid had figured out.

"What are you thinking?" He knew he sounded gruff but he was worried for everyone, especially Jane. He had already called in a unit to back up each team at their current locations.

"I'm thinking he's planning something much bigger than a shooting now. The IED was improvised, quick and dirty, but its almost like he's getting his footing under him. The press conference rattled his cage I'm sure but was it enough for him to focus where we want?"

"Sounds like you're second guessing yourself and the team."

"Wilkins has been like a loose cannon. We know a lot of his particulars now and have a better picture but…"

"I know Aaron, I'm worried too." Pulling up in front of the hotel three blocks from the harbor they got out. Maybe they would get lucky and none of their people would get hurt today.

**xxxxxxxx**

Brandon watched them approach his motel room and had to stifle a giggle. They were unsure, moving slowly toward the room from the lobby area. From his vantage point he could see them but they couldn't see him. Biting his bottom lip he looked through his scope again and tried to identify them. He had been on his way out when saw the black SUV turn onto the street. He had walked out to jeep, which he had parked two blocks away, in plain view of his room. As he watched them knock on the door, guns drawn, the temptation to pull the trigger was almost overwhelming. His finger tightened on the trigger and he had to forcibly stop himself, hissing when he realized who it was. Rizzoli, he could tell by her limp. Lowering his rifle he smiled. If she was here, where was her precious little doctor? Quickly putting the rifle on the seat next to him, he considered his options. The back of the jeep was filled with the things he had grabbed from his house. Drumming his fingers on the wheel he made a decision. There was no going back after this. He started the car and headed back downtown. He would make damn sure that the city of Boston never forgot him.

**Already continuing with Ch 17, as well as my other stories…feedback is appreciated. As to why they didn't spot him? I'll explain in the next chapter. He's crafty and crazy, not a good mix..**


	17. Chapter 17 Infiltrate

**A/N: My apologies, but life, work and a serious case of writer's block was preventing the continuation of this story. I appreciate all of you who are still following this story. Your reviews have been helpful, even the guest reviewer who said my work was lacking. Enjoy my friends, your humble bard...**

Garcia cursed colorfully under her breath.

"What's wrong Pen?" Maura looked up from the autopsy file she was reviewing.

Garcia frowned at the screen and looked up at Maura. "We might have a problem."

"What kind of problem?"

"There's a storm front moving in. Looks like it's going to slam us overnight. It's going to make it harder to find him."

"Yes but won't it also slow him down?" Maura didn't understand why that was a bad thing. In her mind it just meant that Wilkins would have to take a break.

"Not necessarily," Jordan said. "It'll give him more of an opportunity to move around the city without being observed. "Bring it up on the screen."

They watched as the weather report predicted a Nor'easter bearing down on the New England coast.

"If this storm hits the way they say we won't be able to actively hunt him down." Jordan looked up from Pen's monitor and answered her question before she asked.

"You should probably call the team and give them a heads up. If it hasn't already started.

**xxxxxxxxxxx**

Jane looked around and cursed under her breath. The motel room was empty but he had definitely been here. A Massachusetts license plate lay on the floor by the bathroom.

"Shit! He switched his plates." Jane ran a hand through her hair and slapped the wall.

"Looks like he left in a hurry." Morgan tapped a food container on the nightstand "it's still warm"

"Yeah but where is he headed now?" Grabbing her phone she texted the others with an update before dialing.

"Calling Garcia?"

"Yeah, I want her to take a look at the security cams leading away from here. Maybe she can pick up his vehicle and see what direction he's headed."

"Sounds good. Ask her to send a forensics team down here. Maybe they can find something to help."

He walked around and checked out the items Wilkins had left behind while Jane spoke quickly to Garcia.

"We'll head back as soon as the unit Korsak requested gets here." She turned to Morgan, "Pen says there's a storm headed this way. That's going to slow us down. Hopefully him too." She considered the agent in front of her, "Morgan, where do you think he's headed?" her voice was filled with doubt, it was something he wasn't used to.

" I wish I knew Jane. Like I said, he left in a hurry..."

"Yes but why? Was it the news conference? Something else? I hate this, dammit!" Jane stomped away from him.

Morgan was about to say something when the officers arrived. He watched as Jane took a deep breath before briefing them.

"So...where to?" he said as Jane limped past him

"Back to the station. I'm hoping Garcia found something.

**xxxxxxxxxx**

Hotch finished speaking to the others after getting a call from Garcia directing them back to the station. With the information from Jane and Morgan, plus the impending storm, they needed to regroup, quickly. He was frustrated after his argument with Emily though. He had given Emily and Rossi a reprieve and had instructed them to head to the hospital to check on JJ. He needed to make sure that Emily had her head on straight and this guy had definitely a bit too close to home.

"What are you thinking?" Korsak watched a scowl cross his face.

"Wilkins has been one step ahead of us this whole time. It's time for us to get the upper hand for a change.

"What about Prentiss? Will she be joining us?" Korsak had listened to Hotch argue with her about taking some time to be with JJ. It hadn't sounded like she was willing to listen at all.

"Prentiss is…well she's stubborn. Probably as stubborn as Rizzoli." Hotch gave him a knowing look.

"Which means she'll meet us back at the station won't she."

"I can practically guarantee it."

**xxxxxxxx**

"Emily…"

"Jennifer I need to help catch this guy. Can you understand that?" She smiled as JJ squeezed her hand.

"Please be careful. I need you in one piece now that you plan to make an honest woman of me." JJ's eyes twinkled at her as Emily leaned in for a quick kiss.

"Yes ma'am." She said tenderly. " Did you uhm…tell your parents?" They weren't very happy with Emily right now.

Jennifer smiled at her, "I did. They seemed really happy about it."

Emily didn't bother to tell her about her confrontation with them before she came in to see her. That was better left for another day.

Squeezing her hand she brought it up to her lips, grateful for the second chance that God had given her. "I love you Jennifer."

"I love you too Emily." She held onto her, feeling the trembling in her hand and seeing the fear in her eyes. "I'm okay Em."

"I know," she whispered. "Thank God."

**xxxxxxxxx**

Rossi watched as Emily walked into the waiting room. "How is she doing?"

"Better…" she had to clear her throat to stop the tears that were threatening.

"Are you sure you don't want to…"

"No Rossi, I am not going to stay here while this guy is still out there. JJ is safe for now, he thinks she's dead, remember?" Emily's anger was more at herself than anyone else. JJ's parents had confronted Emily angrily about what had happened again asking why she hadn't stayed with their daughter. Rossi had thankfully intervened pointing out to them that their anger was misplaced, giving Emily some quality time with JJ. She had even gotten a chance to speak with the doctor and knew that barring anything unexpected; JJ would thankfully be released by the next morning.

"Come on kiddo, no one is going to fault you for wanting to stay with her. Just for a bit." Rossi watched as she battled her emotions and tried to forget the sight of her fiancée in a hospital bed again.

"No Dave. Please, let's just head back to the station." Rossi watched her as she walked away and frowned when he saw her favoring her side again. Shaking his head he knew she wouldn't listen to him about getting any rest but maybe he could get someone else to speak to her.

**xxxxxxxx**

Reid sat with Frost and reviewed the video footage that Garcia had recovered from the city cameras, trying to spot their suspect's vehicle. Garcia was still going over some of the background information she had uncovered on their suspect and his father with Jordan, while the others reviewed the files on the case going back through each victim and location. Wilkin's actions pointed toward something big and the press conference had been aimed at getting him to focus and tip his hand but now the question was whether or not he had a plan all along.

Jane leaned back and closed her eyes. Rubbing the sides of her face she looked back down at the personnel file of a fellow officer whose son was now terrorizing the City of Boston. "What did you do to your son?" she whispered.

Maura watched Jane from the doorway and frowned. She hated to see her this way and was grateful that Garcia had texted her to let her know she was here. She had to admit she was still angry with her but she really did understand. She just didn't agree with Jane's methods this time. The idea of Jane placing herself in this man's crosshairs made her ill. She needed to help Jane understand that, somehow. Squaring her shoulders she made her decision and walked over to her and put her hands on Jane's shoulders.

Jane sighed as she felt Maura's hands. She just wanted to cry out in frustration at the feel of them. All she ever wanted was to keep her safe.

"I'm sorry." Maura started in surprise. She hadn't expected an apology from Jane at all, and the tone of her voice told her exactly what she was feeling. Coming around her she kneeled in front of her and took her scarred hands in her own.

"You don't have anything to be sorry for Jane. I _do_ understand, it just hurt to know that you were deliberately putting yourself in harm's way, again."

"I…" what could she say? "Maura I know I was wrong, it won't happen again."

"Yes it will Jane. I'm not foolish enough to believe that it won't, but I would expect you to not exclude me from your decision-making." She stared into her eyes, "I'm here to stay and I want you by my side. Please don't forget that."

Jane heard the plea in her voice and squeezed her hands. "I hear you Maura, I do. Thanks for not giving up on me."

Leaning in Maura kissed her. "That will never happen Jane, ever." Pulling up a seat she looked at the file Jane was reviewing and smiled, "So, how can I help?"

**Xxxxxx**

Korsak breathed a sigh of relief as he watched Jane and Maura talk to each other. With their earlier tension now absent, Jane appeared to be more like herself again, even with the stress of this case.

He turned to Hotch,"So what's the plan now? With the storm moving in do you expect him to make a move today or do you think he will bide his time?"

"Hard to tell really. I would almost like to just hunker down and wait but I'm not much of a believer in being reactive."

"Well, unless we can track him again, he's in the wind. There are too many variables right now. We just have to hope that Garcia can track him again or more unfortunately, that he makes a move again."

"Damn"

"Yeah"

**xxxxxxxx**

Brandon pulled his father's uniform out of his bag and smiled broadly. He had already shaved his head and with the mustache he had growing he knew there was no way he would be recognized immediately. It didn't matter really, he only needed enough time to get in and back out. The weather was actually working in his favor right now. It was a change of plans for him but he kept thinking back to the press conference where Rizzoli had challenged him and he realized he didn't want to just make an example of her anymore; he wanted her to hurt. He had her in his sights at the motel but had thought better of it. With one agent out of the way and an officer injured he knew he had them running scared. It was time to bring the battle to them.

Putting the uniform on carefully he looked in the mirror. He was at a gas station not too far from the police station and he chuckled as he looked at himself. He looked good in uniform, like his dad. This should have been his uniform; they should never have turned him away from the academy. But he was ready now. His father had taught him well, create fear and uncertainty, surveillance, infiltration, and action. It was what he had learned overseas and what he had passed on to his son. The fear had been easy, a well placed shot here and there.

The fact that he had targeted the police had created fear on a different level for the police and the city. His surveillance was complete, having worked in the café, during the original shootings; he had been able to see how the police responded, even when the FBI had been called in. Now he was taking a page out of his father's book. One that a former friend of his father's had taken as well. He would be impersonating an officer to get back in and do what needed to be done. If he were successful, he would be able to do what he wanted and get out, basking in his success. If he didn't, well suicide bombers have historically been seen as heroes for their cause. His cause was simple. Make sure they would never forget his father's name or his.

**xxxxxxxxx**

Emily and Rossi stopped in the doorway when they got back and watched the activity. Hotch and Korsak were busy looking at a map of Boston with Reid and Jordan. The red pins marking the shooting sites almost seemed to form a pattern. Shaking her head, Emily walked directly to Garcia "Have we found anything?"

"Hey! No, not much. How's JJ?" The look in Emily's eyes at the mention of JJ's name frightened her. They were hard eyes, eyes Garcia hadn't seen since she faced Ian Doyle by herself. "Em?'

"Sorry Pen. She's better, should be released tomorrow."

"That's great!"

"What's great?" Jane and Maura walked over to see how Emily was.

"JJ's doing better, she should be released tomorrow."

"Oh Emily that's wonderful." Maura squeezed Jane's hand, happy their friend would be all right.

"It is but we have to keep her out of sight since Wilkins thinks he killed her." The flat tone of her voice made them all glance at each other. Jane sighed, this case was eating away at all of them but she understood how Emily felt. The nightmare that had prompted Jane to call was still foremost in her mind.

"And we will Emily. Lets see if we can't do something about finding him before she gets out okay?" Jane held her hand out to her and waited.

"You two are just too cute you know that?"

"Pen!" Jane and Emily both yelled at her.

"What? You are, you both try to be so tough but you're not." Ignoring their glares she turned back to her screen and mumbled, "you aren't…"

Emily's laughter stunned them all. "Thank you Pen, I needed that."

"You're welcome sweetie, now get over there with your nerdling counterpart and try to figure out what this idiot's plan is."

"Yes ma'am" both she and Jane saluted her with a smile and took a seat with the others. Garcia's teasing was exactly what they both needed. They knew he was going to make a move and soon, it was up to them to make sure that they stopped him before he hurt anyone else.

Morgan watched them approach and was glad to see that they both seemed more at ease. Thank God for Garcia.

"All okay Prentiss?"

"It will be Morgan, it will be."

**xxxxxxxxxx**

Brandon pulled his father's badge out and put it on. Dressed as he was, he didn't need ID and he'd be able to come and go from the station as long as no one looked too closely. The trick was getting his supplies in with him. Looking down the street, the snow was picking up and starting to stick. He considered their options. They had missed him at the hotel by minutes but they still hadn't picked him up. If it was him, he would meet up to strategize and if that was the case then that meant they were at the station as well. It was a gamble all the way around but he was done running, hiding. He was going to bring the battle right back to them, like his father taught him. There was no running in war.

**Some of you may wonder if what he is planning is possible, think about it. The city is on alert because of him, he knows procedure, and there is a snowstorm brewing. Police attention will be a bit split, won't it? I'd love to know what you think and btw, JJ is not out of the picture, not by a longshot...**


	18. Chapter 18 There's a Fox!

**A/N: Sorry folks my bad, need to remember to stick with one thought at a time! Here is the next chapter and the next is done as well so not so long a wait, promise! As always, no beta so hope it flows ok, thanks for being sooooo patient….it's going to get quite exciting in the next chapter or two or three.**

Brandon's only real concern was his lack of ID, but he had his father's uniform on along with his badge and nameplate. He was counting on the fact that security would be a bit lax due to his own actions and the inclement weather. The police were stretched thin and from what he had observed they paid more attention to folks in regular clothes. They didn't look twice at someone in uniform. The Boston Police Department gear bag he carried held everything he needed to get the job done.

Putting the gear bag over his shoulder he headed into the building. It was now or never.

**xxxxxxxxx**

Garcia's squeal brought Frost running. "Find something?"

"Indeed I did! Look at this…" She highlighted the video on the screen and showed three different clips at different locations showing the same vehicle.

"Son of a bitch," Frost said.

"Yup. Get the others together, I'll try to round up some more sequential video."

"Great job Garcia."

"What they pay me the big bucks for sweetie." Garcia tapped her glasses with her pen as she looked at the other video feeds, feeding in the time stamps that she knew would be applicable.

Jordan was there immediately. "What did you find querida?"

"Look…" she showed her the videos and watched as she put up a map of the city.

"He's heading this way." Jordan started to pace as she went over all they knew about Wilkins. "Carajo!" Looking up as the others started to take a seat she waited while Penelope explained.

"All right my loves, lets have a look. Here you can see him heading east, away from the motel that Jane and Morgan went to."

Jane nodded grimly looking at the time stamp. They had just missed him.

"What else Garcia?" Hotch tried to curb his impatience.

"Well, after that I lost him for a bit. Couldn't pick him up anywhere until he got caught here." Garcia pulled up the recorded video feed. "There was construction going on and he was stuck for a couple of minutes, but it was enough for me to confirm that it was him." Garcia zoomed the video in and his face was clearly seen through the windshield.

"Where is that?" Reid asked. He stood up at the map and placed pins at the locations that Garcia had thus far identified.

"Four blocks away." Frost looked at the map and back to the video feed.

"He's coming here." Jordan said quietly. The others turned to look at her. "He's been challenged and he wants to make a statement now."

"I agree." Rossi followed the pins on the map and saw the direction he was headed. "The question is how? He has to know that we're looking for him."

"What does he have access to?" Jordan asked.

Reid spoke up, "We're pretty sure he has explosives, based on what we found at the house. There wasn't enough found there." Looking at the team he continued, "The reasonable assumption is that he must have some of it with him."

Prentiss piped in, "We know he has a high powered rifle with a scope and an unknown amount of ammo."

Jane snarled and threw in her thoughts, "Add in the fact that his father's service weapon wasn't found at the house and we have an armed to the teeth nut job who is now on the hunt." They all knew that according to the personnel records, Wilkins had specifically requested the service weapon as a memento. Jane's tone was cold as she thought about the favor that was granted him. It was usually unheard of, but an exception had been made for Brandon after his father died.

"We can all agree that he's armed, but how is he going to be able to do anything right now." Morgan threw his hands up in disgust, "I mean come on…his face is everywhere and…"

"I wouldn't underestimate him." Jordan's voice stopped them again. "Look, I don't know what you all know, I'm not a profiler after all, but I do know this…this mindset. He's not your typical offender anymore. In his mind he's at war." She looked at them all, "with you."

"What are you saying Jordan?" Jane sat forward and looked at her intently.

"Increase the security on this building for one and check the cameras regularly."

"You act like he's already here." Rossi said.

Jordan's silence gave him his answer.

**xxxxxxxxx**

Brandon turned away from the officers who walked by the locker room hiding a smile as he busied himself in an open locker. It was practically deserted in the locker room with most officers out dealing with the storm and the threat of him. Watching as they turned a corner he looked around again to make sure he was alone and started to pull items out of his bag and inventory them. He had enough explosive to bring down a portion of the building. Definitely enough to take care of his problem. He had also broken his rifle down and as he looked down at it he ran a hand along the barrel imagining every shot he had taken thus far and remembering. He had come so close to shooting Rizzoli's doctor that as he fingered the end of the barrel he actually felt a thrill at the thought of his bullet piercing her.

He pulled his hand back as if he had burned it and shook his head. That was a thought he hadn't had before, or a feeling. It suddenly occurred to him that the power he felt after each encounter was changing him. They should have been able to catch him by now but they hadn't and he finally understood. The best soldiers were the ones that had carried out missions without a scratch. The best suicide bombers were the ones that got the job done. His father had taught him a lot and told him about his time overseas and he had always been fascinated with the way his father had explained how it felt to look down his sight and take aim. Brandon's courses at school had included the psychology of war and the interviews he had read from those who had been tasked as suicide bombers and snipers alike, weren't that dissimilar. It was a passion of sorts, that's how he saw it and that was how his father had presented it. They wouldn't catch him without a cost to themselves and he was determined they would pay the price.

**xxxxxxxxx**

"Anything?" Hotch looked over Frost's shoulder at the precinct video feed.

"Not yet, there have been a lot of people in and out but I haven't seen him yet." He had volunteered to review the video to give Garcia a bit of a break.

"Do we really think he could be here?" Morgan looked at Jane questioningly.

"Jordan certainly seems to think so and considering how determined this guy has been…"

The edge in her voice made him frown. "We're going to catch him Jane."

"Yeah but at what cost?" Cavanaugh had refused to lock the precinct down on just a hunch. Instead he was requiring everyone to show ID before coming into the building, whether they wore a uniform or not. Unfortunately enough time had passed that there was no way of knowing if he had already found a way in. "I'll be back, I'm going to check on Maura and Pen." Pushing to her feet Morgan caught her as she swayed on her feet.

"Whoa…"

Jane yanked her arm out of his hand. "I'm fine."

"You're not. I'll go down. Better yet," he glanced at Emily, "You stay here, help Frost or something and Emily and I will go down." Seeing her about to argue he placed a finger to her lips. "Shh, the correct response is thank you." Smiling brightly at her he watched her fight the urge to hit him. "I'll take that, be back in a few."

Flustered, Jane watched as he walked away pulling a protesting Emily with him.

"He's just trying to help." Reid spoke quietly but firmly. "You need to rest Jane."

"Spence, I promise I'll rest when we catch this guy, besides we're all tired. Right now I just want to find him." Sitting down heavily she looked up at him, "I just wish I hadn't let Maura go with Pen."

"They just went to get some coffee." Reid took a seat next to her, "We all need to take a break when we can."

Smiling, she patted his hand, "I know Reid, thanks. I know I let this guy get under my skin but after that close call with Maura and now almost losing JJ. How much more damage will this guy inflict before we catch him?"

Reid didn't have a chance to answer before they were interrupted.

"Janie!" Frankie jogged into the conference room and caught his breath. "They've spotted the car, six blocks from here. Techs are on the way."

"We'll go." Korsak and Rossi were already grabbing their coats. "No sense all of us going." Korsak gave Jane a pointed look as she stood up.

Hotch grabbed his coat and gloves, "I'll meet you there. Frost, bring up the video feeds that Garcia was tapping into and see if we can't get a time stamp for when the car was left there."

"Can do." He switched back from the precinct feed and back to the street cameras, isolating the cameras in the vicinity of the vehicle. He looked up as Jane put a hand on his shoulder. "Doing okay partner?"

"I don't know." Jane huffed angrily; "No one is letting me do anything and its really starting to piss me off." she looked at her partner. "What the hell Frost?"

"Jane…" he stopped himself when she glared at him. He knew she was feeling more than out of sorts. Maura deciding to go grab a coffee with Garcia had put her on edge. He knew she didn't want Maura out of his sight but didn't want Pen going by herself since Jordan was working on following up on some information.

She raised her hand, stopping him. "I get it, I do, but I'm a police officer Frost, not some delicate flower."

Laughing Frost practically doubled over at the vision of Jane as a delicate flower. "Sorry, but really? Delicate flower?"

Chuckling even Jane had to admit the vision tickled her. It felt good to laugh and she appreciated how Frost was trying to get her to relax a bit.

"Thanks partner." Jane knew she was lucky to have a partner as understanding as Frost.

"For what? I didn't do anything but make you laugh." Turning back to the video he switched back and forth between the live feed and the recorded feed hoping that Wilkins hadn't found a way in but wondering if he had already found a chink in their armor.

**Xxxxxxxxxxxx**

Pen sipped her coffee and looked over the rim of her cup at her friend. Maura's hands shook slightly as a raised voice in the café made her jump.

"Hey…its okay," Reaching over she patted her hand. Pen knew how she must feel. Wilkins had worked in this very café and the information he had been able to collect had made him even more dangerous.

"Sorry Penelope, I'm just a little bit on edge I guess. I worry about Jane, about all of you, myself." Maura shook her head sadly. "There are just so many things that can go wrong. Jane's challenge to him made me so angry even though I know she was trying to protect me. I…"

"Aww honey, Jane will be fine, they'll find him."

Nodding, Maura picked up her cup, "I hope it's before anyone else ends up on my table." Seeing the horrified look on Garcia's face she smiled, "sorry Pen. Speaking of table though, would you mind accompanying me to my office? I just need to get my bag and the actual files. I need to feel useful." A sudden thought occurred to her. "I think I'll grab his father's file as well, there may be something useful that we missed."

"Sure, I'll text Jordan and let her know where we're headed."

"Good idea, I'll text Jane as well."

**Xxxxxxxxxxx**

Brandon walked into the stairwell by the morgue and listened carefully. Not hearing anyone he proceeded to pull out some of the explosives he had brought with him. This time the explosion wouldn't be triggered by a gunshot. He had prepared a couple of things ahead of time in order to facilitate his work, this way regardless of the outcome with himself, he was sure to take some of them with him. Pulling out his pliers he twisted one wire and held it between his teeth while he grabbed another. Twisting the two together he finished up as he heard a door open above him. Brandon pulled the strip of duct tape he had cut from the inside of his shirt and attached the explosive under the corner of the bottom rail. The concussion alone would take out anyone in the stairwell the damage from the debris generated should extreme. He had a couple more to set and then he would be ready. He knew the building well having had access for as long as he did, with and without his father. Stepping back to admire his work he smiled, "Thanks Dad."

**xxxxxxxxxxx**

Morgan and Emily caught the women just as they were walking out of the café.

"Ladies, and where pray tell are we going?" He smiled brightly.

"Derek! Em! We're headed to Maura's office to get her bag and some files she needs. Oooh! Are you here to be our bodyguards?" Garcia clapped her hands together happily making both of them laugh.

Morgan bowed and swept his arm broadly, "Ah…'tis so miladies. May I escort you to the bowels of this building and onward?"

"You may kind sir." Maura went along with it, delighted with the escape he was trying to provide. Garcia giggled as he extended an elbow to each of them as they headed for the elevator.

"Oh for goodness sakes Morgan." Emily grumbled as she followed along behind them.

"Don't be jealous just because I have a beautiful woman on each arm." Chuckling Morgan smiled down at the two woman, "I figured I would give your significant others a break and come and check on you two myself." He winked at Maura who smiled. She knew what he was doing, no, what he had done and she hoped that Jane was working this case from a seated position for a little while.

"I only need one to stroke my ego Morgan, you need all you can get." Laughing Emily pressed the button for the elevator glad for the reprieve from this case for however brief it may be.

**xxxxxxxxxxxx**

Brandon wiped away a bead of sweat that started to roll down his nose. He had found the morgue empty except for one lone technician in the back. Muttering something about a file he was getting for Dr Isles, he made his way into her office and looked around for the perfect spot and found it. Taking the African mask off the wall he taped the explosive he had prepared to the back of it and hung it back up. He had one left and now came the hard part; he needed to get upstairs to the squad room or as close as he can get to it.

Grabbing a random file he hurried out calling out his thanks and stopped when he heard the elevator. Picking up speed he jogged past as the doors opened and turned the corner. Looking back he watched as Dr Isles, the two FBI agents from the university and the blonde from the café got out and headed toward the morgue.

"This was going to be amazing." Hitting the stairwell he took the stairs two at a time hoping to be able to finish his work and get out. He was prepared if things went wrong. He had weapons and plenty of ammo. He would make it cost them dearly to take him out and in the process no one would ever forget who he was.

**xxxxxxxxx**

Jane looked up from her text as Frost cursed loudly. "What?"

"I think…fuck Jane I think he's here." Barry rewound the video feed he had been looking at and played it again. There on the screen was an officer neither of them recognized walking past the elevators toward the morgue.

"Frost zoom in on his face." Jane squinted at the large silhouette that was still not recognizable. "Shit! I can't tell…wait, back up and zoom in on his uniform." There, clear as day was the name, Wilkins. "Call Hotch, I have to go tell Cavanaugh, we need to lock this place down now." Striding purposefully toward Cavanaugh's office she seethed as she texted Maura. She had warned Cavanaugh and he had ignored her. She felt a tightening in her chest as fear gripped her heart. He was outside the morgue, which meant he could have already done something down there and God knew where else. "Please just a little time," she whispered.

**xxxxxxxxxxxxx**

Brandon watched Rizzoli as she walked through the offices. He could tell that something was upsetting her, him maybe? They might or might not know he was in the building but it didn't matter, he had made it this far, he couldn't turn back now. There was one more explosive to set but as he watched Cavanaugh race out of his office he knew the jig was up. Stepping quickly into the restroom as activity on the floor increased, he considered his options, he had obviously been noticed finally by the cameras that were set up throughout the building. Sitting on the toilet he pulled out his gun and checked the slide. Armed and ready. He had left his rifle hidden and put together ready to fire along his line of retreat. It was now or never. He had set up timers on his explosives but he also had a detonator so he could take care of things remotely but he might not need it as he looked at his watch.

**Sorry…..natural break or it would have gone on and on :) Comments are as always appreciated! As well as your thoughts. Obviously someone or ones will be hurt. Who do you vote for?**


	19. Chapter 19 Bold and Bad

**A/N: Yes I'm still here…Gawd! sucks that we have to work, isn't it? …Hope you are still with me….**

"Ms. Jareau, I really do not recommend this course of action." Dr Ames sighed. His patient had decided that she didn't want to wait until the morning to be released.

"Jenny, really, please listen to the doctor." Her mother's plea fell on deaf ears. As soon as Emily had left JJ had decided that she wasn't waiting until tomorrow, not with Wilkins still out there.

"Mom, I feel better, my EKG was fine the last two times they ran it and my burn is healing. I'm not doing anything useful here." She struggled to put her pants on and looked around for her shirt. "Do we really want me walking out of here bare chested?" She couldn't deny that she felt like crap, because she did. Between the CPR that was administered by Frankie and the paddles, her chest was a mass of bruises. On the bright side there were no broken ribs so in her mind, she was definitely well enough to leave. She was "dead" anyway so what did it matter if she went to rest in the hotel room as opposed to the hospital.

Dr. Ames looked at his patient's mother and shrugged his shoulders. She obviously wasn't going to listen to reason so. "I'll get the discharge papers ready. You're leaving against medical advice Ms. Jareau. I suggest you keep in mind the nature of your injuries and don't try to exert yourself for at least a week." Shaking his head as he walked out, Dr Ames was reminded why he hated treating law enforcement folks. They never listened.

"Jenny, baby. Let me at least call Emily, please." Annie Jareau bit her lip as she watched her daughter try to catch her breath after putting on her shirt. "Please."

"No mom. I can't just stay in here while this guy is hunting, I can't." She leaned over the bed and grabbed her ID, cursing under her breath when her chest muscles constricted.

"Honey..." Annie Jareau sighed in response to her daughter's glare. Emily was going to be extremely upset about this. She had counted on them to keep Jen safe. "Won't you at least wait for your father to come back?"

"Mom, I just want dropped off at the hotel. I'll rest I promise, I just don't want to be here anymore." The plaintive tone convinced her. It wasn't like her daughter to complain like this.

"Are you going to call Emily?"

JJ sighed knowing full well how that call would go. "She has a lot on her mind right now Mom, I'll call her later." It felt wrong to do it this way but she wasn't up for an argument. Besides this way if she needed to she could pop in and surprise her since the hotel was only five minutes away from the precinct. She would rest but she wouldn't do it here, plus, if she was lucky she might be able to find out how things were progressing. Turning away from her mother she wiped the sweat along her eyebrow. She shouldn't be leaving but she couldn't stand being at the hospital anymore.

**xxxxxxxxxxxx**

Frankie hung back as Rossi approached the car with Korsak. They had held the techs back until their arrival and after a quick once over they were carefully approaching the vehicle. It was obviously empty; the concern was whether it was booby trapped like his house had been. After what happened to JJ they weren't taking any chances.

Hotch cursed under his breath when he was shown the trigger for the explosive hidden under the car. Like the house it had been tied to the handle except that instead of an electric shock, the explosion that would have resulted would have taken them out. What they found inside though was a goldmine. Leftover equipment needed to create his explosives, some rambling notes inside the vehicle connected to his father and a notebook.

"This needs to end now. Rossi, what about what was in the vehicle?"

"The notebook is filled with journal entries dating back to before his father died. No explosives besides what was rigged. He must have taken it with him." Rossi looked in the direction of the precinct and back at Hotch and Korsak. "It's probably safe to assume that Jordan was right after all."

"That's what I'm afraid of," Hotch said. "We need to get this to Reid as quickly as…" He stopped as his phone buzzed.

He watched as Rossi and Korsak grabbed their phones as well.

**xxxxxxxxxxxx**

Morgan grabbed his phone and looked at the text message and swore.

"He's here?" Garcia squeaked. She looked up at them from her own phone and started to shake her head.

"We need to get back Morgan. Ladies lets go, we need to go track this guy down before he does any more damage." Emily's flinty voice sent a shiver up Garcia's spine as she recognized it.

"Em…"

She waved her off, "I'm fine Garcia, let's go. Maura, did you get your file? Maura?"

Maura was reading Jane's text and she saw the fear in her words, for her. She looked up, "Sorry, no, I'll go get it." They had stopped in the morgue and started talking for a bit before getting the texts and the file had been forgotten. Walking into her office, she grabbed the file and stopped to look around. Frowning, she hesitated.

"Maura come on." Emily had her gun out, waiting impatiently.

"Someone has been in here." Maura looked around absently trying to figure it out.

Emily walked up to her and took a look around. "Could it have been a tech?"

Maura nodded slowly, "yes but…" she couldn't put her finger on what was amiss, but something was different. "Forget it, it's probably nothing."

Emily paused before moving forward. "And it could be something, are you sure?"

Sighing she shook her head, "I'm sure, let's just head back upstairs."

Emily followed her out and nodded to Morgan. He checked the hallway and walked out ahead of them to get the elevator.

**Xxxxxxxx**

"Hotchner…are you sure? No, no, have Frost print out what we have so far...Good, we'll be there shortly." Hanging up he looked at the others, "Cavanaugh locked the precinct down. We need to get back with what we found and track him down. The way he's escalated seems a bit out of sync with his background."

"You think we're missing something." Korsak stated it as a fact, not a question.

Nodding Rossi agreed, "Something besides his father triggered this, its just too irrational and personal. I want to get with Reid and Jordan and go over his background again along with this journal. There might be something in here that will help us get through to him."

"You all ready?" Frankie had gotten called back to the precinct along with the others. He wanted to get back to Jane. She may not think she needed backup in this case but he did.

"Yes. Rossi, text Morgan and let him know we're on the way." Hotch got into the passenger seat next to Frankie. "Hurry."

"You got it."

**xxxxxxxxxx**

JJ closed the door on her parents and breathed a sigh of relief. Her father had been so angry with her that she had almost changed her mind about leaving the hospital, almost. Looking around she wiped the tears from her eyes as she saw Emily's clothes strewn across a chair. The bed hadn't been slept in and she knew Emily hadn't been there since she got hurt. Rubbing her chest she cursed at herself for not seeing that the door was rigged. She was better than that. Dropping onto the bed she lay on her side and looked at her hand. Emily's proposal had stunned her in the midst of everything and she knew just how scared Emily must have been. The proposal was real, it was true and it was what she had wanted for a long time. This was a scare that had ripped into Emily the way Doyle had and she was worried about her.

The last thing she wanted was for Emily to lose herself again and she had seen the look in Emily's eyes when she had said goodbye at the hospital. She was going to kill him and JJ couldn't let that happen. Her parents had promised not to let Emily know she was at the hotel. They were leaving it to her. Rolling over onto her back she grabbed her cell and wrote Emily a text. Biting her lip she hesitated briefly before sending it. Making sure her phone was on she closed her eyes. She had originally planned to go to the precinct but she was exhausted and the fact that she was supposed to be "dead" complicated things just a bit. A quick nap was in order before she faced Emily and the others. She just hoped Emily would forgive her.

**xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**

Brandon walked out of the bathroom confidently, gun in his hand. He knew this building like the back of his hand. He knew where all the entries and exits were as well as where the stairwells were and more importantly, where the munitions were kept. His goal right now was Rizzoli. He wanted to hurt her for daring to challenge him. No one challenged him. This was his town and his name on the line. His father had died without notice. Rizzoli was noticed for everything. Just like in school. After failing his psychological he had thrown himself into his studies until others in the program had started to shine. Every time he tried to befriend them it was thrown back at him. Someone had found out that he had failed to get into the police academy and had spread it throughout his class and the CJ program. Even Madison had thrown it in his face. When she had, he had made her pay. Jonathan though, he was more personal, like Rizzoli he thought he was better than him, but he had shown him. He was sure they hadn't recovered all of him after the explosion. Now here he was, poised the get his revenge for himself and his father. He didn't care at this point who he took with him. He was prepared to die, they weren't.

The elevator doors opened and he stepped back in, holding the door open. Smiling he watched as Rizzoli's girlfriend walked out first followed by the agent who had bumped into him. It was now or never and he stepped out.

"Maura, get back!"

Brandon turned at the sound of the voice, he recognized the woman who had joined the others at the Robber and smiled as the gun she pointed at him wavered ever so slightly as she hesitated. He fired without any such hesitation and turned back to the woman he had initially tried to target.

"Fuck!" He didn't hesitate to charge as the two agents aimed at him.

"Stop! FBI!" Morgan's voice boomed down the hallway blatantly ignored by Wilkins who started firing, forcing them back. He smiled at the cry of pain he heard as he passed them and shot an officer who had stepped out to help. Slamming the stairwell door open he headed downstairs ignoring the throbbing in his arm from the one shot that had made it through his defenses. He had a stop to make.

**xxxxxxxxxxxx**

"Shit! Morgan I need help!" Emily frantically tried to stem the flow of blood from the wound on Garcia's stomach. She couldn't believe Wilkins had been able to blow past them again as she glanced at the fallen officer down the hall. The yelling and calling for ambulances was distracting as she heard more shots fired in the stairwell.

Jane and Frost ran up and stopped short. "God…" Maura was yanking her jacket off and pressing it against the wound, frowning at the blood spreading across Garcia's shirt. Jordan was right behind them and froze when she saw who had been hurt.

"No!" she dropped down beside Garcia and cradled her head letting her gun slip from her hand, "Penelope, querida, please, open your eyes."

Maura looked up at Jane, "She needs an ambulance right now. I can't tell what the bullet might have hit." Nodding Jane waved an officer over and told him to get one to them immediately.

"Where did he go?" She said.

"Stairs." Morgan checked his gun and looked at her grimly. "Who's coming?" Two officers had already headed down and the sound of gunfire had been disconcerting.

"The building is sealed off, he's not getting out." Frost said.

"I'm more worried about him staying in. He knows this building at least as well as we do." Jane scrubbed at her face angrily. Everything was going to hell and now this. She looked down at her fallen friend. "How is she doing?"

Jordan looked up at her with tear filled eyes. "Alive." Her voice was raw with unshed tears. She was angry. Angrier than she had been in a very long time and all she could see in her mind's eye was Wilkins' death. She shook her head trying to get rid of the image as she felt a stirring in her arms. "Penelope?"

Maura brushed the hair away from Garcia's forehead as she checked her responsiveness. She looked up at the others. "Go. Stop him. We'll stay with her." She squeezed the hand that Jane offered and watched them leave. Whispering to herself she closed her eyes, "please be careful Jane."

**xxxxxxxxxxx**

Brandon flexed his arm and smiled, satisfied with his makeshift bandage. A lucky shot had winged him, but that was all. He had run down the stairwell at the other end of the building and the officers who had tried to pursue him were busy nursing their wounds he was sure. Parts of the building had been renovated and others like this stairwell had not. He knew he didn't have much time so he set the explosive by the bottom step of the second floor and ran the wire across it. This one would be tripped by them, not him.

**Things will be picking up in a big way the next cpl of chapters folks…the votes are still coming in but we already have one casualty…who's next? Feel free to let me know your thoughts**


	20. Chapter 20 Come out wherever you are

**A/N: Okay folks, here you go…This was originally to be posted the day of the Boston Marathon. Unfortunately if you have been reading, you know that it was heading toward an explosion or two…so obviously, I didn't post that day, or that week…Then I needed to revamp a bit, so here it is. Sorry for the wait and I do apologize if this chapter bothers anyone. **

Hotch got out of the car and cursed at the sight of the ambulance parked in front of the building. Keying his mic he waited for a response from his team. He had heard about shots being fired over the radio and prayed it didn't involve any of his folks.

"Morgan, Prentiss...dammit! Rossi are you getting anything?"

"No and they haven't answered their phones either."

"Korsak?" Hotch turned to the older man.

"Just got a text from Frost." He took a deep breath before continuing. The anger in Frost's voice had surprised him. "Garcia's been shot as have several officers. Wilkins is in the building. They're searching for him now."

He flinched when Hotch and Rossi both cursed. He looked up at the front door where several members of S.W.A.T. team were stationed. "He's not getting out that way."

"He may not care about getting away anymore." Rossi looked around and frowned. "Detective, how many entries are there?"

"Four. One has been sealed off on the other side of the building. One is outside the morgue, there is the front entry and another side emergency exit from the east stairwell."

Cavanaugh jogged up and interrupted their discussion. "We think we have him cornered in the east stairwell. He shot two officers so far."

"And our tech analyst," Hotch ground out. This man had refused to increase security on Detective Rizzoli's recommendation and now was trying to make up for it. Ignoring him he looked at Rossi, "anything?"

"All I'm getting is static." Rossi tapped his earpiece and looked at his phone again. Still nothing. "I don't like it Hotch." He turned his collar up as the wind picked up, and the snow blew wildly around his head.

"Me either, Lt Cavanaugh, make sure the exits are sealed. This ends here." Ignoring the other man's look of shock at having to take orders he turned his attention to Korsak and Rizzoli. "You two know the building, lead the way."

**Xxxxxxxxxxxxx**

Morgan nodded for Jane and Emily to move ahead. The landing they were on had been evacuated of civilians and officer involvement was being restricted to avoid any unnecessary shooting. Pushing open the door to the stairwell Emily quickly moved in and stepped aside for Morgan. Looking up and down they took turns advancing, listening for Wilkins as they moved.

Frowning Jane looked up toward the roof and back down. This was too easy now. They hadn't encountered him yet and there had been no shots fired since the ones in the other stairwell. The IED crossed her mind and she held a hand out.

"What's wrong?" Emily stopped next to Jane.

"The explosives...what if..."

"Fuck!" Emily's eyes darted to Morgan who nodded understandingly. They had to move carefully or risk getting blown up or shot.

"We need the bomb squad on standby." Jane bit her lip before asking the next question. "Do you think we can get Jordan here?" She hated asking, given what had happened to Garcia but they needed her expertise right now.

"I don't know." Keying her mic she tried to reach Reid. "I'm getting nothing but static."

Morgan checked his as well. "Dammit, might be the weather, gets glitchy."

Nodding Emily pulled out her phone and cursed out loud.

"What's wrong?" Jane peeked over her shoulder and swore, none of them needed this right now, especially Emily. "Is she at the hotel?"

Emily's terse nod made Morgan glance at it as well. "JJ?"

"Yes."

**xxxxxxxxxx**

Jordan stood trembling next to Maura as the paramedics took care of Penelope. The rage she felt was familiar and it was a feeling she hoped never to feel again. Her weapon felt heavy against her hip. It had been handed back to her and she had holstered it absently, but now, watching them work on the woman she loved, it weighed on her. She had hesitated when she had him in her sight and Penelope had been shot. She fingered the holster; oblivious to the concerned look Maura was giving her. All she wanted was to see Wilkins dead and as the thought grew, her grip on the gun tightened.

"Jordan?" Maura shook her gently. "They're going to take care of her. Why don't you go with her to the hospital?"

"No, I need…I need to help find him." She turned to look at Maura with tears in her eyes. "I _need_ to find him. Entiendes?" She was pleading for Maura to understand. Jordan didn't know if she was making the right decision at all, she didn't even know if she was making sense. She just knew that she couldn't leave this undone.

Maura put her hand over Jordan's, pulling it away from the grip. "I do understand Jordan but…" she glanced over at Penelope who beginning to stir again. "Think about the consequences…"

"I won't do anything stupid." Jordan's voice was hard, harder than Maura had ever heard and it scared her because the tone was familiar.

"Jordan, please…"

"Take care of her for me, please." She turned and headed in the direction that Frost had gone; going through everything she knew or thought she knew about Wilkins. Explosives were a given and hopefully they had called the bomb squad in but she wasn't going to count on them finding everything. This was a battlefield she was much more familiar with than they were. She pulled out her gun and pulled the slide back. Locked and loaded, she wouldn't hesitate again.

**xxxxxxxxxxx**

Maura fretted as she watched her leave. She knew how helpless Jordan must be feeling and from the conversation she'd had with Pen earlier, she knew a bit more now about Jordan's military background. Quite honestly it worried her.

"Maura!" Reid jogged up to her as Garcia was wheeled away. "Are you going with her? Where's Jordan?"

"No…she's in capable hands right now, I would just be in the way." She looked down the hall and pointed, "Jordan went to catch up with the others."

"Well, Hotch and Detective Korsak are here. We can brief them and then find out if we're going to be getting any reinforcements."

She looked at him puzzled, "Maura, the storm has picked up. Roads are closed and there are accidents everywhere. We may well be on our own with Wilkins."

"Oh." The sight of Jane after being caught by the IED flashed through her head and she had to close her eyes against the sight.

"Are you okay?" Reid could tell she wasn't seeing him right then. "Hey, these guys are good at what they do. They'll catch him."

"I don't doubt that Spencer, I just hope that they catch him before he does any more damage."

"No argument here. Come on, let's go talk with Hotch and see what's going on." Taking her hand he led her down the hall. He felt torn, wanting to go with Garcia but knowing that they needed to be here. With the weather getting worse, resources were spread thinly throughout Boston. Reid just hoped there would be no further need for ambulances today.

**xxxxxxxxxxx**

Jordan caught up with Frost one floor down. She waited while he finished talking to a uniformed officer before clearing her throat.

"Shit!" He jumped. "Now is so not the time to be sneaking up on anyone."

"Wasn't trying to, sorry."

"How's Garcia? Why aren't you with her?" Frost had seen how close the two women were and her reaction when she had seen Garcia unconscious.

"Being transported to the hospital." She held up her hand, as he was about to speak. "I need to help get this guy. That's how I can help Penelope right now." Her voice held a timbre he hadn't heard from her before, it unnerved him a bit. He knew Cavanaugh had cleared her but he wondered whether it was a good idea for her to help right now after what had happened.

"Fine, stick with me for now. I'm trying to find out where Jane and the others are. The last report I got was that they had trailed him to the east stairwell. But there's a problem."

"Hmmm" Jordan nodded knowingly, "he has explosives and they don't know if he had time to set anything up." She actually smiled at the shocked look on his face, "I'm right aren't I?"

"Yeah…yeah you are. Unfortunately we only have one K-9 on site and the bomb guys are having trouble getting here because of the weather."

"Then we need to tread lightly. If I were him," she took a deep breath, "and at one time I was, I would have set up no less than three or four devices along my escape route."

Frost considered what she was saying. It certainly made sense in a strange way, but why come in at all. Why try to attack the people looking for him in their home base.

"You strike at the heart," she answered, reading his mind. "Jane has been the face of this investigation, the face of the Boston Police Department for some time, no?" Frost nodded slowly. "Add to that the fact that he believes he has killed one of you…" She let him come to his own conclusions.

"Dammit! Okay fine, you're with me but you need a vest. I don't want to take any chances."

Jordan nodded and followed him to get an extra vest.

**xxxxxxxxxxxx**

JJ groaned as her phone vibrated and then rang. Reaching over she expected a phone call from Emily, instead she sat bolt upright as she read part of a text and answered the phone.

"Mom?"

She bit her lip as her mother told her about the storm and the apparent crisis at the police station where her team was. Where Emily was.

"Mom I have to go. No…no I'm not going to go there. Yes I _was _resting! I need to call them…please Mom!" Hanging up she hastily got dressed. "Not going my ass, of course I'm going." She quickly grabbed her badge and ID and realized she didn't know where her gun was. "Shit!" Knowing procedure she was sure that Hotch very likely had it. It didn't matter. Grabbing her coat she headed out. If there were no cabs available she'd walk if she had to.

**xxxxxxxx**

Jane stepped down carefully, mindful of her leg. They had to clear the stairwell and Morgan had volunteered to take point. She hated it but they were in a catch .22. The few bomb techs they had at their disposal couldn't move into the stairwell without the area being secure. Unfortunately they hadn't been able to secure it yet.

Emily had narrowly missed being shot by another officer who had panicked at the sight of them on the third floor. Jane had ripped into him and ordered him to get the hell out of the stairwell. Passing the landing she looked down toward the second floor. They hadn't heard anything in a few minutes and she knew it wouldn't be long before more officers converged on them.

"Morgan, eyes open." She cursed when she heard laughter.

"What's wrong Rizzoli? I thought you were such a big bad cop? Wasn't that you on the news?" Her finger tensed on the trigger as she listened to his taunts.

"Relax Jane." Emily tapped her on the shoulder as she spoke and motioned to toward the second floor. Holding up two fingers she nodded, letting Jane know where it sounded like he was.

Pulling out her phone she quickly texted Frost.

"Give it up Wilkins, no one else needs to get hurt." Morgan called down trying to buy time for Frost to get into position.

"Now what fun would that be?" They heard the sound of running feet and more laughter.

"Son of a bitch!" Morgan looked at them. "Where's Frost? We need to box him in."

The stairs shook as an explosion rocked the building.

**xxxxxxx**

Brandon chuckled to himself as he felt the rumbling beneath his feet. "They found the first one…" Using the noise and chaos that was created he stepped into the madness on the first floor as emergency personnel raced toward the far stairwell. He was still in uniform and followed along until he got to the service stairs behind the café. He wanted Rizzoli and he knew damn well she would follow him as long as she wasn't caught in the next blast. Opening the door calmly he headed down toward the morgue.

**xxxxxxxxxx**

"What the fuck?" Emily opened the door to the third floor landing and grabbed an officer as she kept trying her mic. "What happened?"

"Explosion in the far stairwell. At least three officers down."

She grabbed him "Don't pull anyone from their positions, that's what he wants." Cursing she looked at Jane. "There will definitely be more.

Pulling her phone she dialed Frost and breathed a sigh of relief when he answered. "Hey partner…where are you? Okay, we're right above you. He was in the stairwell but I'm sure he got off somewhere after the explosion. Fine. We'll meet you there." Cursing under her breath she looked at the agents. "He's been spotted by the café, first floor."

"This needs to end dammit. He's creating chaos and losing himself in it." Emily was pissed. This asshole had been able to evade them in a damned police station. "Let's move."

Jane tried to attach her phone to her belt and missed. It saved their lives.

**xxxxxxxx**

"Where are we going?" Jordan had her weapon drawn as she followed Frost. They were just outside the second floor stairwell when the door was blown open by the explosion that rocked the stairwell. Jordan just missed being struck by the door, and instead was just knocked off her feet. Frost wasn't so lucky. The steel door blew out in one piece and caught him as he tried to move. The smoke and rubble filling the area made it difficult to get to him.

"Frost!" Coughing she holstered her weapon as she found him. Pulling the door off him she could see by the angle of his arm that it was broken. Grabbing his gun she tucked it into her pants. "Frost, talk to me come on." She looked into the stairwell and shook her head, thankful for the contained explosion. Parts of the stairwell had collapsed.

Coughing he opened his eyes, "What the hell?"

"Stay still…" Getting up she poked her head in and frowned at the blood dripping down from the floor above.

**xxxxxxx**

For the second time in less than a week Jane's ears were ringing. She pushed herself to her knees as she realized what had happened.

"Stupid fucker." She coughed and caught herself as a flash of pain ripped through her side. "Emily? Morgan?" She reached for the handrail and found it gone in the blast. "Shit." She pulled herself to her feet as she tried to categorize what hurt for later.

"Lord…I think I prefer to be shot…" Morgan's groaning made her smile as she realized he was alive. He got to his feet and shook his head. "Emily!" He spotted thrown against the door by the edge of the landing. She was out cold and bleeding freely from her head.

"No, no, no…don't do this to me Prentiss. Come on now…eyes open." He checked her head and felt the gash on the back of her head. Taking off his shirt he put it against the wound, grateful when she cursed at him.

"Fuck…why are there two of you?" Jane clapped him on the shoulder at the sound of her friend's shaky voice. Looking over the edge of what remained of the stairwell she saw Jordan looking up.

"Hey, you okay?"

Jordan nodded. The bumps, bruises and cuts were best dealt with later. "Frost is hurt. I called for help but…"

"I know, we're spread thin. How bad is it?" The sound of arguing distracted her.

"Morgan get out of my way." Jane watched as a stubborn Emily Prentiss tried to stand up holding a shirt to the back of her head.

"Emily…" He threw his hands up and looked at Jane for help.

"Give it up Morgan…" She held a hand out to steady her. "You sure Em?"

She pulled the shirt away from her head and looked at the blood. "Only thing I'm sure of is that this asshole needs to pay. How many injured?"

"No idea yet and no phone." Jane paused as she realized that dropping her phone had very likely saved their lives.

Morgan grabbed his phone as it buzzed. "Morgan…yeah Reid, we're okay for the most part…what? Where? Okay hold the uniforms back for now, just make sure the exits are blocked." Turning back to them. "They found him on the cameras. He's in the basement."

"Come on then." Jane called down to Jordan, "We'll meet you down there."

"Fine, EMT's are here." Jordan felt relief wash through her at the sight of them. She didn't want to leave Frost until he was in good hands.

Jane led the way out, listing a bit at the pain firing through her side. She had at least one broken rib that she knew of. All of them were covered in scratches and gashes and more than one of them needed medical attention as she watched Emily walk a bit unsteadily, but none of them was inclined to stop until Wilkins was taken care of.

**Natural break folks…working toward the inevitable confrontation between Wilkins and our ladies. I'd love to know what you thought….**


	21. Chapter 21 One on one

**A/N: I know, I know…a pox on me! I meant to post sooner but dammit I was on a roll with Damage Control. Sorry folks… So, here we go, a much longer chapter than I usually put out because darn it I couldn't find a natural pause. Hope you're still with me. Enjoy...**

Maura watched as the officer she had been helping was wheeled away. Hotch and Korsak were busy trying to get help to them but the weather had definitely taken a turn for the worse. Add to that the information that Garcia had tracked down about Wilkins…all she wanted was to call Jane to check on her but after the second explosion everyone was being moved as close to the exits as possible. Moving outside was not doable because of the weather. She looked around praying someone would let her know if Jane was hurt or… "Maura Isles you stop that right now."

"Talking to yourself Doc?" Frost walked toward her assisted by an EMT, his arm splinted and head bandaged.

"Barry!" hurrying over she took over for the EMT and moved him to a chair outside the café.

"I'm okay Doc." He looked around, "I take it they haven't caught the bastard yet?"

"No…Barry?"

"She's okay Maura. Banged up but okay. Went after him with Morgan, Prentiss and Jordan."

"Where are they?"

Maura gasped audibly at the sound and sight of Jennifer Jareau. She looked ill but she was here.

"JJ? What are you…you shouldn't be here." Maura couldn't believe what she was seeing.

"Doctor Isles is right, you shouldn't be here." Reid came over and gave JJ a fierce hug, holding on for maybe a bit to long but grateful that she was standing there, in front of him, alive.

"That's not what that hug said." She joked and clasped his hands. "I heard what was going on, and before you ask Emily knows I'm not in the hospital."

"And I'm sure she's not happy about that." Maura too came over and hugged her, more mindful of her injuries.

"She never answered me after I texted her and I fell asleep in the hotel room. Then my mother called me to tell me some of what was going on. I had to come." JJ knew what Hotch's reaction would be when he saw her but she didn't care.

"Well come on then, Hotch is going to…"

"JJ!" Rossi hustled over and wrapped her up in a hug. "What are you doing here kid? Shouldn't you be…"

"I'm fine Rossi, really. Tired but fine, I want to help." The doubtful look in his eyes made her stand her ground. "I'm serious Dave, please."

He threw his hands up, "no argument from me though I think Emily might have something to say about."

She took his hand and tucked it into arm. "We're not going to say anything to Emily just yet. We're going to find Hotch and get my service weapon back and put me to work." Her voice was sweet but the steel that ran through it was lost on no one.

"You're all crazy…" Maura just shook her head as she followed them. "Barry I'll be back."

"No problem Doc." Frost leaned back in the chair and held his arm to him. "I'm not going anywhere."

**xxxxxxxx**

Maura listened to the others explain what was going on, smiling when JJ had to explain again why she was there. Hotch pulled JJ aside for a few minutes before handing her back her weapon.

"JJ you haven't been cleared yet but I'll sign off on it for now. At least _you_ were able to get here. We have emergency personnel stuck in snowdrifts. Did anyone tell you about the search that Garcia was running when all this went to hell?" His ringing cell stopped him from continuing and he stepped away.

"Who is it?" JJ asked.

"Morgan I think." Reid said it in front of Hotch who nodded and switched to speakerphone.

"Morgan go ahead." Hotch said

"It looks like he's set himself up by the morgue." Morgan's voice was tired and they could hear Jordan and Emily speaking in the background.

"Are you all okay?" Rossi asked.

"Well…yeah we are, or will be once this is over. I know we have the back entrance to the morgue sealed off but do we have any help coming?" Morgan paused. "Hotch we don't know how many more devices he has set here plus we can't be sure he's actually in there yet."

"I know Morgan, we'll be down, don't confront him. Just keep him locked down for now, Garcia was running a search program that we just received a hit on, seems our Mr. Wilkins was suffering from a schizoaffective disorder."

"Hotch tell me you're wrong, why the hell didn't that come up before?"

"HIPAA laws. Garcia decided to take her search a bit further and the information finally came up. One of the officers found the print out when all this went to hell. Turns out being connected to law enforcement threw up a couple of more roadblocks than usual, particularly here in Massachusetts. So sorry, no, I'm not wrong.

"Sonofabitch! " They could hear Emily curse as she spoke with Jane about the info they had just gotten.

"Em?" JJ moved closer to Hotch and blushed as she looked at the others, she had said she wasn't going to tell Emily she was there, but she just needed to hear her voice.

She could hear Morgan call for her. "Jayje? What are you doing here? Are you okay?" exasperation colored Emily's voice but JJ heard more.

"Emily? What's wrong?" JJ raised her eyebrows at Hotch but he just shrugged his shoulders. He didn't know what she was hearing that he didn't.

"I'm fine Jennifer." There was no way she was going to tell her she was hurt. "We have to go, okay." She hung up leaving JJ staring at Hotch's phone.

"What the hell?" JJ was seething. Something was wrong. "What's happened, someone needs to fill me in right now!"

Reid and Rossi pulled her aside to explain about the explosions and the psych eval that had been carefully concealed.

"The morgue?" Maura repeated Hotch's words and closed her eyes thinking about when she was last there.

"What is it Maura?" Korsak could tell she was trying to work something out.

"He was there." She whispered.

"He's there now Doc." Korsak shrugged his shoulders and looked at Hotch wondering what she was getting at.

She shook her head as it suddenly occurred to her what was bothering her about her office. Things had been moved around. A number of things including a picture of her and Jane, one of her African masks, a file.

"What is it Doc?" Korsak knew that look. She was onto something.

"He was in my office earlier. Before I went downstairs with the others."

"Are you sure?" Hotch's voice was full of doubt.  
"I know my things _Agent_ Hotchner, someone was in there. We were just in a hurry and I didn't bother to check any further." Maura was adamant. She knew she was right.

"Rossi if she's right…"

"There's definitely another explosive. Reid, get through to them again. Let them know that it's a trap. He plans to make his final stand there."

Maura bit her lip as she considered his words. Final stand. Jane…

**xxxxxxxxxxxx**

Emily paced the hallway after hanging up the phone. Her head was killing her but she couldn't afford the distraction that was JJ right now.

"Emily" Morgan started.

"Don't Derek…please, I can't right now. Let's just figure out a way to get this asshole to give up okay? I mean dammit," she looked down the hallway where officers were blocking the stairwell. "We're not even sure he's in there," she hissed.

Jordan and Jane watched as Emily walked away from a flustered Morgan and over to the officer in charge and looked at one another.

"She's hurting." Jane said.

"We all are." Jordan closed her eyes and refocused on them. "He's not going to just give up, you know that."

"We have to try." Morgan was surprised by the look that crossed Jordan's face.

"He shot Penelope!"

"Don't you think I know that?" Rubbing his face with his free hand he placed it on her shoulder. "Look at me, I know that and I want him just as much as you do but we have to do this the right way especially if he is sick."

She stared into his eyes and backed down, for now. "Fine. But if he gets away…"

"He won't." Jane's voice was like ice as she left them there and went to speak with Emily.

**xxxxxxxx**

Emily looked at her phone as Jane approached and handed it to her. Jane read the first part of Reid's message and swore colorfully.

"Maura's office? Are we sure?"

"Maura seems to be sure, she's on her way down here with JJ and Rossi." Emily was pissed. Why would Hotch let them come down here like that?

"What did you say?" Jane couldn't believe what she had just heard. They had the area locked down and it looked like a standoff with him inside the morgue, but she didn't trust it. Too many things had already gone wrong and they still couldn't confirm his location.

"Neither one of us can afford to lose our focus Jane. Remember that."

"Shit."

**Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**

Brandon smiled as he watched what was going on outside the morgue, he just loved computers. They forgot how well he knew this building, including where all the cameras were. The only thing they were right about was that he was in the basement. He just wasn't in the morgue or at least not where they thought he was. It was a big place after all. Brandon pulled on the vest he had taken from the officer he encountered outside the morgue and looked down at him. He didn't look much older than him but he was at least an officer. He hadn't been given that chance, especially once his father died. He peeked out and was grateful for the amount of officers there were. With any luck he would take out quite a few more as he took Rizzoli with him. There were two entrances to the morgue from the hallway and one from the outside. He switched to another camera and smiled broadly as he recognized more of the FBI team and Dr Isles. Time to make things interesting.

**xxxxxxxxxxxxx**

Korsak answered his phone and listened as the 911 operator explained to him who was calling.

"Are you kidding? No, of course not…put him through." Korsak waved Hotch over. "Wilkins I'm listening."

**xxxxxxxxxxxxx**

"He wants what?" Jane looked at the others dumbfounded. "He doesn't think we would actually consider this, does he?" Their silence gave her their answer. "Sonofabitch!"

"Detective we have to consider our options, including ways to end this as safely and securely as possible. This may be the only way we can track any other explosives he has set." Hotch looked uncomfortable even presenting this to the team but Wilkins had them by the short hairs a bit. They were in the middle of one of the worst storms Boston had seen in sometime and emergency services was stretched thin, with the weather and casualties at the police station. They needed to do what they could to avoid any more casualties, more specifically, any more explosions. The eyes of the nation were on this police station right now and the standoff had now made national news, including Rizzoli's challenge to him. They had inadvertently played into his hands, now, he was famous. One thing Hotch had managed to do was to shut the power down long enough for Willkins to balk and for them to get a video feed into the morgue that he didn't have access to. He had obviously hacked into the surveillance system there because he had told Korsak exactly where everyone was.

"Hotch, you can't possibly be considering this." Morgan was pissed, they all were.

"Morgan we have to consider everything. We can't just go in and start blasting-"

"Why not?" Jordan said angrily. "_He_ has!" Jane grabbed her by the arm to try and calm her.

"This is not a war zone and we will not treat it as such!"

"Stop it! I'll talk to him." Jane's voice cut sharply through the raised voices. They were down the hall in the one area free of cameras.

"Jane no!" Maura grabbed her and spun her around. "It's a trick. He's been in my office before now. It's not safe. It's…"

"What I need to do right now Maura" Jane's voice was gentle as she spoke to her. She looked at her friends. "Keep me in your sights and just take the bastard out okay? I'll do my job and keep him talking, who knows, I might actually get through to him."

"Jane you don't have to do this." Korsak's anger was barely contained. How had everyone missed the warning signs with this kid?

"Wire me up already. We need this to end." Jane walked away after barely giving Maura a second glance.

"Jane Rizzoli don't you walk away from me!" Maura followed after her. She refused to allow Jane to do this.

Emily stood tensely next to JJ. All she wanted was to wrap JJ in her arms and get her away from there but Hotch's point that her presence might rattle his cage was a valid one, except for the fact that it rattled her cage even more.

"Any news?" Jordan had to know, before all of this ended.

"Garcia's in surgery but it looks good." Jordan let out the breath she didn't know she had been holding and sighed appreciatively when she heard the others do the same. "Jordan…" Hotch's voice held a question she knew he would be asking.

"Don't, please…let me be a part of this. I know his psychology, crazy or not, I can still help." Jordan ignored the lingering doubt in her own head. This would have been over, if she hadn't hesitated to pull the trigger when she had first faced him.

"Fine but you stay out of the way. We may only have one shot at this people. He wants to talk to Rizzoli for a reason and not just to kill her." Hotch nodded for Rossi to continue.

"He wants someone to hear him. Now after all he's done, he's ready to make his final statement and the person who has become his focus is also now his homing beacon. He came here. He could have left the area but he didn't. He obviously has a connection to this precinct because of his father but he feels a connection to Rizzoli. Her challenge solidified that. She's the one to talk him down."

"What if she can't?" Emily's anger dripped from her words. This was stupid and dangerous in her mind. JJ's hand in hers surprised but calmed her.

"Then we take him out." The temps in the basement area made it difficult to get good thermal imaging but part of getting Jane wired was to know exactly where she was when the time came. It was up to her to help them target him.

"Hotch we don't know where this guy's head is at, are you sure Rizzoli should be going in alone?" Morgan took a step back as Korsak got in his face.

"Look! Rizzoli has faced assholes like this before, she knows what she's doing."

"Relax Detective, I'm just saying that she might miss warning signs that one of us could catch. None of us is exactly 100 percent right now."

"Then I guess we all better be listening closely." Korsak stomped off to help Jane get ready.

"That definitely could have been phrased differently Morgan." Reid's words surprised them. He was the one who usually put his foot in his mouth, not Derek.

Morgan just shook his head and grumbled at them. "Lord I so need a vacation when all of this is over."

"Don't we all kid," Rossi looked over toward Jane, "Don't we all."

"All right Detective?" the tech paused as he taped the wire across Jane's mid-section. He didn't know about the ribs, but Maura noticed.

"Yeah, fine." She swatted Maura's hand away as it reached out to touch her.

"You're hurt." Maura was beyond angry. Jane had promised she would take no chances, now this.

"It's fine Maura."

"It most certainly is not!" Maura grabbed her Jane's upper arms and made her face her. "Do you realize what an impossible task you're taking on?" When Jane didn't respond she let her go. "Do you realize what you are doing to me?" she whispered.

Jane grabbed her as she turned away. "Maura…please…I do realize and I'm sorry. But this needs to end, if I have a chance to end this let me have it, please. I'm not going in empty handed, I'll be armed. Everyone will be listening. I don't plan to let him do what he wants." Jane tipped her chin up so she could face her.

Maura tried desperately to understand. She wanted Jane back safely, that's what mattered. The kiss she gave her tried to convey exactly that. "Come back to me, that's all I ask." Her voice was low and full of emotion.

Jane's response was as fierce as it was quick. "Always."

JJ positioned herself so that she had a clear shot through the morgue's glass wall. Wilkins had agreed to meet with Jane in the more open portion of the morgue as long as Jane was positioned between himself and them. He would move into view as she did, both with their weapons drawn.

Jane's subtle nod let them know she was ready as she opened the door and walked in. She saw him immediately. He stepped out of Maura's office with a big smile on his face.

"Rizzoli, you came."

"You were pretty clear with your demands Wilkins."

"Please call me Brandon. We have a lot to talk about Jane."

"It's Detective." Jane couldn't hide the irritation in her voice and could have kicked herself when she saw his face change.

"You're quick to throw that out aren't you?" The gun leveled at her wavered ever so slightly as his voice broke. "Always so high and fucking mighty aren't you?"

"Brandon…"

"You can call me Mr. Wilkins!" his shrill voice sent shivers down her back.

"Fine Mr. Wilkins…" she took a breath and tried to center herself. She knew the others had her back but she was still flying solo here. "What did you want to talk about?"

Emily shook her head as she watched Wilkins come out of Maura's office. They were all keyed in to Jane's transmission and one word from her would bring them in and Wilkins down.

"What do you think Prentiss?" Morgan shifted his stance and leaned into her. He watched her glance over to where JJ was. There was no way that Wilkins could see her from his position, which was exactly the point. She was the best shot among them and had shot through glass before. The hope was that seeing her would give them the shot they needed if it all went to hell.

"I'm hoping Jane doesn't antagonize him too much before she hears him out." Emily's words reached Korsak who tensed.

"Relax Vince, its not personal. We're all on edge here." Rossi tried to reassure him before he took his frustration out on Emily. They had decided to give Jane a bit of leeway to try and talk him out but time was of the essence. The first explosion that had rocked the building had been set with a timer. The pieces had been found strewn throughout the stairwell. The other, based on eyewitness testimony from Morgan, Jane and the others, had obviously been triggered. All of that meant one thing, they had no way of knowing what type of explosives Wilkins had inside the morgue and the flammable nature of certain items in the morgue made getting him out of there and identifying any explosives set, critical.

"Mr. Wilkins, you wanted to talk to me. You still haven't said why." Jane's arm was tiring. Both of them still had their weapons up and vests on. She had frowned at the sight of it when she saw the blood on it.

"Patience _Detective_. It'll only be a little longer. Why don't you tell me how you knew my father?"

Jane glared at him. She barely knew his father and she was sure that he knew that.

"You don't remember him do you?" Brandon stepped closer to her and glanced out into the hallway. He could see the other officers out there. He knew he wasn't getting out of here and he no longer wanted to. He had Rizzoli but he wanted the others too.

"I'm sorry, no, I know of him but I didn't know him." Jane took a step back as he stepped closer to her. She could see him glancing repeatedly toward the doors and knew he was thinking something through. He was dangerous.

"Do you think they all know me now?" He waved a hand toward the hallway. "Especially now that I killed a fed?"

Jane had enough, "Who says you killed a fed?"

"Oh shit." Rossi couldn't believe what she had just done and he keyed his mic. "Be ready to fire."

"What the hell is she thinking?" Emily growled.

"She's trying to bring this to an end by disrupting his reality." Reid smiled wanly at her, "sorry that was rhetorical wasn't it?"

Emily just shook her head as she tried to get a glimpse of him. "Come on JJ, take the shot."

Brandon brought his gun up. "What are you talking about? I killed a fed. That's what the news said!"

Jane knew she had pushed him too far. "It is what the news said I'm just saying-"

"I heard what you said loud and clear! You're saying I failed? Is that it?" His eyes were wild as he faced her. "My father didn't raise a failure!" He squeezed the trigger before he was done yelling shocking them all. Jane was thrown backward from the impact of the bullet giving JJ a clear shot. She took it.

**Don't hate me…but please let me know what you think...**


	22. Chapter 22 Boom Baby!

**A/N: Sorry for the delay folks-working on some of the others, working full time, yard work, life, and darned if I didn't get sick. Yeesh. Anyway, thank you for all the reviews and please, keep 'em coming. Hope you enjoy...**

**One more thing-whoever nominated this story for best crossover in Rizzles fanfic awards, Thanks! Apparently I've also been nominated for best author…who knew? Anyway…here you go...**

The glass was thicker than the last time JJ had made the same shot and the slight deflection was enough to save Brandon's life. He was down and laughing maniacally as blood pumped from what was left of his right ear, when the others rushed in.

"Jane!" Emily dropped down next to her unmoving friend. "Shit! Rossi get a medic down here and don't let Maura in yet." She ripped the Velcro off the front of Jane's vest and took it off. The answering moan she heard made Emily breathe a sigh of relief.

"Shit! Is she okay?" Korsak went down on one knee next to her.

"She took the shot in her vest, thank God. Jane?"

"Fuuuuck me…" Jane groaning reply made them both breathe a sigh of relief. She didn't want to open her eyes, everything hurt too much. She could hear a lot of commotion all around her including Wilkins laughing but there was one voice she didn't hear.

"Jane!" Maura fought against both Rossi and the uniformed officer who tried to stop her. "Let me go! Vince! Emily!" Korsak waved her through and got out of the way as Maura dropped down beside her fiancée. "Dammit Jane…" she reined in the fear and ran her trained hands along Jane's torso, grateful at the absence of blood.

Jane's groan stopped her, "Not…there…" eyes still closed she struggled to take a breath. The rib Jane thought she had broken after the explosion on the stairs was now confirmed in her mind, along with possibly a few others.

Opening her eyes she wasn't surprised to see Maura above her, she was however surprised at the anger that flared in Maura's eyes as she spoke.

"I can't tell without an x-ray but…"

"I can," she said breathlessly, "They're broken, I can tell." Jane looked up at her as her features softened. "Couldn't get out the way."

"When do you ever?" Maura's mouth quirked into a semblance of a smile. She was angry and grateful. Angry with Jane for the position she had put herself in, and grateful that she was wearing a vest. She raised Jane's shirt and winced as the sight of the bruising. The pain Jane was feeling must be incredible. Maura leaned down and brushed her lips against Jane's. "I love you idiot." Jane tried to grin in response. She knew she was lucky to be alive.

"Did we get him?" she said hoarsely. Jane struggled to sit up, her words answered by Wilkin's shrill voice cutting through the air.

"Is she dead? The fed's dead right? Rizzoli was lying about that and now I killed her too!" Maura turned as Wilkins was yanked to his feet, a makeshift bandage wrapped around his head.

JJ pushed past Morgan and faced him. "I am not dead you shit! And you are damned lucky that glass was as thick as it was or you would be!" She was furious, angry that she hadn't shut him up once and for all. Fighting the wave of nausea that washed over her at the exertion she shoved him into the arms of the officers who had a hold of him.

"JJ stop!" Morgan grabbed her arm as she brought it up to strike Wilkins.

"Let me go!" JJ struggled against him as she tried to reach him again.

He sputtered at the sight of the ghost in front of him. He had killed her. He knew he had. He could swear Rizzoli had been lying, just trying to get under his skin.

"No…you're dead!" He lunged back at her and screamed when Morgan caught him around the neck and slammed him down on the floor ear first.

"No you don't!" He drove his knee into Wilkin's stomach before he pulled him up roughly, shoving him back into the arms of two officers. "Get this piece of shit out of here!"

"You can't do this! I need medical attention! Do you know who my father is?" Brandon fought against the hands that held him fast.

"Get him out!" Hotch yelled. "Morgan, go with them and get some techs in here now, we need to sweep the area."

"Sweep all you want! Nothing sweeps the dirt away!" Wilkins continued to scream at them as he was led away. Mumbling under his breath as he passed Jordan he gave her a lopsided smile. "See you in hell sweetheart."

Her hand tightened around her pistol grip as he passed. The contented look on his face sending a chill down her back. She knew they couldn't remove him from the building because the roads were closed, so he would likely be held in the holding area they had set up on the first floor for now. Given everything that had happened though something about his comment bothered her. Jordan shook her head and kicked at a piece of glass in the hallway before walking into the morgue.

**xxxxxxxxxxx**

"Are you sure?" Emily grabbed Jane by the elbow as she tried to get up. She looked worriedly at Maura. "Maybe you should stay put right now."

Jane grabbed her forearm and reached for Maura. "Can you…just help me get out of the way?"

Maura looked at the others as they searched the morgue for any more devices. This was the last place she wanted Jane to be.

"Lets at least get you out into the hallway, okay? We need to wait for the paramedics Jane."

"Maur…" Jane's plaintive tone fell on deaf ears.

"Maura's right Jane, come on." Emily turned to the others. "I'll be back, just going to help get Jane out of here."

Maura slapped Jane on the shoulder, "Her you listen to?" Jane's pain etched face was Maura's only response. "Sorry."

Hotch nodded and called JJ over. "Go with them." JJ started to argue but was quickly shot down. "You shouldn't even be here JJ, you know that."

"Yes sir." Her grudging agreement made him smile.

"Besides, maybe you can get Prentiss to get her head looked at…great shot by the way Jareau."

"I should've killed the bastard." JJ's angry utterance raised more than one eyebrow.

Reid shook his head as he watched her walk over toward Jane. Not for the first time, he was thankful that JJ was such a good shot. She may have wanted him dead but Reid wanted him alive and held accountable for his actions. Even with his psychosis it would be an uphill battle for him to prove insanity.

He waited for the officer to clear Maura's doorway before stepping in. On the desk were the bag that Wilkins came in with and his father's rifle, which made him raise an eyebrow. "Rossi?"

"Yeah kid?" Rossi walked over after excusing himself.

"What does this tell you?" He pointed to the items on Maura's desk.

"He left his father's rifle? That was what he likely used in the sniper deaths." He scratched at his beard. The rifle held sentimental value for Wilkins, which made it very disconcerting that he would just leave it. "Hotch?"

Jordan walked through the door, "He's talking to Lt Cavanaugh." She glanced at the items on the desk and frowned. "What's all that?"

"The bag he came in with and his father's rifle. It's odd that he-" Reid stopped short at Jordan's expletive.

"What is it?" Rossi placed a hand on her arm at her outburst.

"We need to get out." She whispered.

"What?"

"It's a trap. He planned to die here. There's definitely another device and I think its on a timer." At their look of disbelief, she cursed again, "Carajo! He said something as he passed by, he said he would see me in hell. Reid, think about it. Given the value he placed on things of his father's, would he leave that there?" Jordan was kicking herself for missing the signs. This was the place that would create the greatest amount of damage in the building. Where deaths were almost a certainty.

"Son of a bitch." Rossi keyed his mic quietly, "Hotch, we need to get everyone out now. Jordan thinks there's another device, possibly on a timer." He waited for Hotch's response. "Will do." Rossi turned to the technicians and officer in the room. "Alright everyone, we're clearing the morgue for now. Don't touch anything. We need everyone to clear the area until we can make sure Mr Wilkins didn't leave any more surprises for us."

**xxxxxxxxxx**

Morgan dropped Wilkins unceremoniously into the chair and took a step back. The guy's ear was bleeding freely again, blood showing through the makeshift bandage.

"That wasn't very nice agent." Wilkin's snide voice grated on Morgan's nerves. "You want to be nice to me."

"And why the hell would I want to do that?" Morgan didn't want to hear anything the guy had to say, especially not after his last act of violence against Jane.

"Because you don't want your friends to die."

Grabbing him by the shirt Morgan got in his face. "What the fuck are you talking about?"

Brandon giggled in Morgan's grip but stayed silent. He would have his revenge on all of them. Glancing at the clock behind Morgan he smiled broadly. Less than two minutes give or take. He was hoping to have been there for the blast. To see them all go up with him, but he had his fame and his revenge. Boston would never forget his name. Brandon watched the clock tick on. Even the FBI couldn't save everyone.

Morgan threw him back into the chair and glared at him. Seeing him look past him he turned around and saw the clock on the wall.

"What the hell did you do?" Morgan ran out of the room keying his mic along the way. They were in trouble.

**xxxxxxxxxxx**

"What's going on?" JJ grabbed the arm of the technician who raced past her.

"They think there's another explosive. They ordered all of us out." The tech shook his arm loose and kept moving.

"Shit…Em, we need to get her out of here." JJ looked down at her fiancée as she helped Maura make Jane comfortable.

"What is it?"

"Get out! GET OUT NOW!" Jordan pushed Reid ahead of her as Rossi and Hotch brought up the rear. They almost made it to the door.

The explosion was as perfect as Brandon could make it. It was set to blow out from the office and toward the morgue, with its chemicals and flammable materials. The concussion blew the windows out and sent bodies and debris flying.

**Xxxxxxxxxxxx**

Morgan was running down the stairs when the blast knocked him off his feet.

"NO!" Scrambling to his feet he pushed through the door. "Ah…shit…" The scene that met him made him sick. He could hear moaning all around him and he had just stepped through when the sprinklers kicked on. It looked like a damned war zone. "Emily! Reid! Goddammit someone answer me!"

"Derrick…" Maura's coughing caught his attention, "here…help" She was desperately trying to free herself but a beam had fallen across her legs.

Morgan quickly assessed the situation and kneeled down next to her. "Can you move?" As soon as she nodded he set himself "I'm going to try to move this okay?" he strained to lift the frame, grunting at the exertion as she pulled her legs out.

They both heard more personnel coming to help but he kneeled down next to her. "Maura…where are the others?

"Oh my God, Jane!" She scrambled onto her knees ignoring the throbbing in her legs and looked at the debris all around her. She had felt herself lifted away from Jane when the concussion hit. Shaking her head she tried to orient herself. "There!" She pointed to the cut in the hallway. "They were there"

Morgan picked his way to where she had indicated the others were and saw a familiar pair of black cargo pants.

"Oh hell no Princess, you are not doing this to me again." Ignoring the cuts on his hands he tossed glass and debris aside until he could reach her. Rolling Emily over he winced at the sight of the fresh blood coming from the cut on her head. She was bleeding from a number of cuts and gashes but her moan when he rolled her over sent a wave of relief through him.

"Mo…Morgan? Crap…my head."

"Just lie still Princess, helps coming." Morgan looked around and found what he was looking for. He grabbed the piece of material he found and held it against Emily's head. Her eyes were glassy and he could tell she was having trouble focusing. If she didn't have a concussion before, she certainly had one now, along with a myriad of other injuries.

"JJ…where's JJ? She was standing…" Emily closed her eyes against the pain before continuing, "shit…she was standing when the blast hit." She struggled to sit up even as Morgan kept a hand on her.

"Uh, uh, Princess. Stay put. I'll find her."

"We'll find them." Maura's face was etched with pain. "Jane?" Morgan shook his head grimly. Maura's breath hitched in her throat and she tried not to cry.

"Hey, we'll find her and JJ." Morgan pulled her into his arms briefly before letting her go. Looking around he tried to ignore the blood and destruction, waving a medic over, "help is here now, we'll find all of them."

**xxxxxxxxxxxx**

Rossi cursed under his breath as he tried to move. His left leg was on fire; at least that's what it felt like. Looking down at it he saw why. From the knee down it was a mangled mess. He could feel every bit of exposed skin, muscle and sinew. It hurt like a bitch. Struggling to sit up he caught sight of Reid's arm. Dragging himself over he pulled on it.

"Kid…Spencer, come on." He pushed the rubble off Reid's chest and placed his ear against it. "That's right kid, keep breathing." He saw no sign of Jordan or Hotch. Hearing movement in the hallway, he called out for assistance.

"Help! We're in here!"

**xxxxxxxxxx**

Morgan heard Rossi's voice and breathed a sigh of relief at the sound of it. He and Maura found an unconscious Jane tangled with an equally unconscious JJ. It took four of them to clear the rubble surrounding them and catching sight of the blood along one side of JJ's back, one of the responders ran back to grab a medic.

"Jane!…dammit…Morgan help me." Jane's pulse was erratic but it was there. Maura brushed the hair away from Jane's face and hissed. Her face was covered in cuts from the exploding glass and there was blood everywhere. She quickly turned to assess JJ, wincing at the piece of glass sticking out of her back, just below her vest.

"Its bad isn't it?" Morgan ran his hand along his head as he looked at the women. Both were unconscious and hadn't moved at all. Maura grabbed his hand and nodded, stepping back when emergency personnel arrived to attend to them.

Morgan wrapped his arms around her as the techs worked on their friends. There was a flurry of activity as Rossi and Reid were pulled out of the rubble, followed by Jordan and Hotch. Hotch was walking out under his own steam, arm held tightly against his side as he followed the gurney that Jordan was on. Morgan couldn't believe what Wilkins had achieved. They may have him in custody, but he was right. They would never forget who he was or what he had done.

Ambulances had finally arrived at the station thanks to Cavanaugh's ranting. He had been able to get City Hall to divert two snowplows to clear the road allowing for emergency personnel to finally get to them. Hopefully it would be enough.

**xxxxxxxx**

Jordan opened her eyes and frowned when only one seemed to work. Bringing a hand up she felt the bandage that covered it and brought her hand back down heavily.

"Hey…" She tried to follow the sound of the disembodied voice. "Wait, I'm sorry…how's this?"

Hotch came into view smiling warmly at her, concern in his eyes.

The sight of his battered face and arm strapped firmly to his body brought everything rushing back. "Penelope…wait…is everyone okay?"

"We will be thanks to you."

Jordan heard the gratitude in his voice and more.

"Que paso?" She closed her eye in an effort to reduce the queasiness she was feeling.

Hotch looked down at the woman who had again saved their lives, "Wilkins had a device programmed to go off on a timer, like you thought. There was enough explosive to blow up most of the morgue and us along with it."

"Pen?" The guilt that washed over her made her sick. She had been more concerned about getting Wilkins than being with Penelope and it hurt that she could be so selfish.

She opened her good eye when Hotch squeezed her hand. "She's going to be fine. They have her in the trauma unit right now. No complications from surgery, okay?" Jordan nodded. Her head and her eye hurt, not to mention the rest of her body, which felt like it had been stepped on by a crazed horse.

"Thank god," she whispered sleepily.

"No Jordan, thank you." Hotch stood there quietly while she drifted off. Her warning had been enough to get them out of the immediate blast zone, which he knew full well had saved their lives. They were all a bit worse for wear but at least they would all recover, to varying degrees.

Rossi was still in surgery for his leg. It had been torn apart and they were trying to repair it enough for him to maintain his mobility, but he was alive.

Reid and Emily both were covered in cuts and bruises and both had serious concussions. Reid had woken on the way to the hospital and was being kept at least overnight. Emily had nine stitches in her head to close the wound there and would be in the hospital for a couple of days at least a fact that she had been quite unhappy to hear, the only saving grace for her was that Hotch had been able to arrange for JJ to be in her room as well.

The laceration across JJ's lower back had taken 27 stitches to close and she had lost quite a bit of blood. Given what she had been through previously, she wouldn't be out of the hospital for a couple of days as well. Hotch's talk with her parents had been uncomfortable at best. They were torn between being angry with him for letting her be present and happy that she would recover.

Morgan had to force Maura to get checked out when they had gotten to the hospital. By the time they had arrived she was whimpering with each step. They had cleaned up all the cuts she was covered in and stuck her in a knee brace to immobilize the knee that had swelled to almost twice its size by the time they got there. The MRI had shown a tear to her medial ligament and torn cartilage. She had asked for crutches and the medical waiver wanting to be with Jane.

Hotch himself had a broken collarbone, two broken teeth and was covered in the same cuts and bruises none but Morgan seemed to have escaped the last blast.

Jane was the most seriously injured after Rossi. The broken ribs and being tossed around by an explosion had resulted in a punctured lung. Thankfully they had gotten to her quickly enough to avoid any long-term damage. She was the only one besides Garcia and Jordan, who was still sedated.

Hotch frowned at the thought of Jordan. She had a broken eye socket and a lacerated cornea from the flying debris as well as three broken fingers. They had surgically repaired the laceration and were taking a wait and see attitude with her eye hoping that there were no complications. He didn't know how to tell her that there was a possibility of vision loss, he had no idea how she would take information like that. His phone, which had somehow survived the blast, buzzed again on his hip. He knew who it was, Strauss. He had already listened to the message she left him threatening him with suspension over this case and the use of a civilian in their investigation. Pressing his ringer, he let it go to voicemail. Strauss could go to hell. He had his people to take care of and a press conference with Lt Cavanaugh to be a part of.

**xxxxxxxxxx**

Jane opened her eyes and regretted the deep breath she tried to take. The pain in her chest complicated the burning in her lungs. The machines she was connected to beeped ominously as she unconsciously held her breath against the pain and closed her eyes again.

"Jane…Jane honey breathe…I know it hurts." Maura looked at the monitors and adjusted the oxygen line around Jane's face. She lifted the blanket to insure Jane's chest tube was still in place before she spoke again.

"Open your eyes…please…" Maura's voice was full of pain for Jane and herself.

"Maur…" Jane croaked.

Maura leaned down and kissed her forehead, not hiding the tears of relief rolling down her face. When Jane's doctor had given her the diagnosis, she had been so relieved she had broken down in Morgan's arms. The relief she felt now that it was all over was overwhelming.

Jane reached up and wiped a tear away, hating that she was the cause of them.

"I'm sorry…"

"Shh…it doesn't matter right now. I'll berate you later." The smile in her voice made Jane relax. They were going to need a long vacation after this one.

"Is everyone else…"

"Okay? Yes Jane, they're fine, or rather, they will be. Here," Maura reached over poured a little bit of water and held the cup for her. "Just drink and lie back for now. I'll tell you what the doctor said while we wait for your mother and Frankie who will be here shortly to see you."

"Oh lord…can't you just say I'm asleep?"

Maura kissed her tenderly, "No."

**xxxxxxxxxx**

Emily smiled at JJ's parents as they left. JJ had fallen asleep talking to them and they had wisely decided to leave the two women alone for the night.

Emily waited until the nurse finished taking her vitals again and left before getting out of the bed and making her way over to her fiancée. She held onto the bed and let the wave of dizziness pass before stroking the side of Jennifer's face.

"Ti amo cara." Jennifer was laying on her side on a wedge to take the pressure off the sutures on her back. Emily kissed her, gently at first until she felt Jennifer respond. She pulled back.

"Hey…" Emily felt her heart swell at the sight of the blue eyes she fell in love with.

"I love you too Em." She patted the bed invitingly and smiled when Emily climbed in with her. Screw hospital policy. They needed this right now.

Morgan pushed open the door and stopped at the sight. JJ had her arm draped around Emily who was nestled in against her. Both were fast asleep. Leaving the two bears he had bought on the chair he let himself out leaving the two women to sleep. Time to check on Jordan and Garcia.

**xxxxxxxxx**

"I want to go see her." Jordan argued again with the nurse on duty. She was determined to go see Penelope and make sure for herself that she was okay. Unfortunately, her perception was off and the only way it would be allowed was with a wheelchair and no one was available to take her.

"Ma'am I told you. It's late and we just don't have the staff available to-"

"I can take her." Morgan smiled charmingly at the nurse. "I promise I'll bring her right back."

"Hmmm…" The hospital was already making exceptions for this group what was one more. "30 minutes, understood?"

"Yes ma'am!" Morgan's cheeky grin made her smile as she left.

"Thank you Derrick."

Morgan tried to hide his shock at the sight of her face. The swelling was pronounced along one side and the bandaged eye made it look worse.

"Anytime beautiful."

"I'm anything but Derrick Morgan. Just take me to see Penelope, please." She got up and let him help her into the wheelchair the nurse brought in.

"Your wish is my command."

**So, I could've kept going but am saving that for another chapter. What say you…BTW for those of you that have PM'ed me asking for another story in this series, as Morgan said, "Your wish is my command" More tidbits to come...**


	23. Chapter 23 Facing the Future

**A/N: You guys are absolutely the best! And this story has been nominated as best crossover in the Rizzles Fanfic Awards, so thank you! Now, like my first fic in this series, the end kind of just snuck up on me but while I feel it's right to end it here, I may throw in a short chapter just to clear up some stuff and as a prelude to the next story. Yes there will be another one. I've been asked through various PM's and in reviews and I figure I have a couple more in me….**

Morgan considered the woman he was pushing in the wheelchair and couldn't hold back a small smile. He'd had his doubts about her when Garcia had initially hooked up with her but Jordan had shown herself as a person worthy of someone as special as Penelope.

They stepped into Garcia's room and he let her get up from the chair and approach the bed.

"You really love her don't you?" Morgan looked at Jordan as she watched Garcia sleep. The raw emotion he saw in her face moved him. Kevin had never looked at Penelope that way. The whole of what Jordan felt was plainly evident on her face.

"Si." Jordan's whisper was full of emotion. All of this could have been avoided. Penelope might still have been shot but everyone else would have been safe if she had just taken the shot. "I'm sorry Morgan." She was still focused on Penelope's sleeping form as she spoke to him.

Confused, Morgan just looked at her, "for what?"

"For not shooting him when I had the chance. For letting all of this happen and getting everyone hurt."

"Hey!" Morgan wheeled her around in front of him, "You didn't do this! This was all Wilkins."

"I know but…" Jordan shook her head. So many people had been hurt. She let herself drop back into the wheelchair. Hotch's face when he had spoken of everyone's injuries had hurt. She knew he didn't blame her, but she did.

"No dammit!" Morgan kneeled down in front of her and grabbed her gently by the shoulders, "Pen would kick your ass if she heard you talking like that."

"He's right." Pen spoke softly but they both heard her.

"Penelope…" Jordan got up a bit unsteadily and walked around Morgan.

"Oh…Jordan…" Pen gasped at the sight of Jordan's face making her wince. She reached her hand up and Jordan leaned in closer.

Pen stroked Jordan's face gently, her heart breaking at the sight of the swelling and eye patch.

Jordan grabbed her hand and kissed it. "I'm sorry."

"You have nothing to be sorry about. I'm going to be fine." Pen locked eyes with Morgan, "Everyone else will be too. We got the bad guy honey." She tried to adjust herself in bed and gave up when she realized she didn't have the strength to do so.

"Here, let me…" Morgan raised the head of the bed a bit so that she could face Jordan more directly. Coming over to the other side of the bed, he leaned over and kissed Garcia on the forehead. "I'll wait outside and give you guys some time. I have to get this one back to her room soon though."

Jordan smiled at him as she held Penelope's hand. "Thank you Derrick." Nodding he gently closed the door, leaving them alone.

Jordan felt her body release the tension she had been feeling since Penelope had been shot. The anger, rage, despair…she had been feeling all of that and more, but now all she could feel was an overwhelming relief. Penelope must have sensed it because she squeezed her hand tightly.

"Hey…" her gentle voice pushed Jordan over the edge and she finally allowed herself to cry, to feel everything that had happened. She put her head on Pen's shoulder and cried.

Penelope could feel the softness against her face and let herself cry as well. They had all been through so much. Hotch had warned her of Jordan's injuries but it had still surprised her.

They held onto each other, grateful for their lives, the lives of their friends and their love.

**xxxxxxxxxxxxxx**

Rossi took care of Erin Strauss. Lying in bed the day after his surgery talking to Hotch, he could sense how tense the situation had gotten. It took some talking on his part but Strauss had agreed to give everyone extended leave, medical and otherwise as long as those who were medically cleared were back to work within two weeks. She had also agreed to try and smooth things over for Jordan at her job, but there was a slight wrinkle there. That had been a harder sell but Rossi had been adamant that without Jordan's knowledge, they wouldn't have survived. It was unheard of for them to be out of the rotation for so long. But no one dared ask how he had done it. Some of them did speculate though.

"I'm telling you wonder-boy, he's definitely doing Strauss." Morgan chuckled at his friend's reaction. They were sitting in Maura's living room waiting for the others. It had been a hell of a week. Between being snowed in at the hospital for a day and the issues with Wilkins in lockup, Morgan was surprised it had only been a week.

Jane and Rossi were the last to be released from the hospital. Rossi had a long rehab ahead of him. The muscle, ligament and nerve damage to his lower leg had been extensive and even though he had tossed around the idea of retiring again, no one believed he would.

"This Strauss woman sounds like a tough nut, why do you think they're a couple?" Korsak sat down beer in hand and joined the conversation.

"I can't believe you guys are talking about this, it's just…ugh…" Pen thanked Jordan for her water and patted the seat next to her. Garcia had been released yesterday and Maura had been adamant that both she and Jordan stay with her. She had spent most of yesterday sleeping, but was wide-awake now.

"Come on Garcia, you've seen the looks they share. Korsak, they have a history, and a rocky one at that." Smug, Morgan sat back. "Makes for strange bedfellows, but I know I'm right."

The sound of the car door shut them all up. Jordan waved the others back and got up to open the door. They all watched her hesitate when she extended her hand to open the door. The use of only one eye still had her perception off, but she just seemed to shrug it off. They all had follow up appointments and hers was in two days.

A smiling and slow moving Jane came walking across the threshold followed by Rossi, Maura and Hotch. Rossi was in a wheelchair being assisted one handed by one Barry Frost.

"Out of my chair Reid." Jane sat gingerly mindful not to jar her ribs.

"Well hello to you too." Morgan chuckled as Jane immediately reminded them whose home they were in. She had Frankie living in her apartment now since she had moved in with Maura some months before.

Greetings and hugs were shared around the room.

"Wait a minute, where are Emily and JJ?" Jane was surprised not to see them there.

"They were dropping JJ's parents off at the airport and then they had an errand to run." Reid thanked Maura for his glass of water and turned to the others. JJ and Emily had been inseparable since their stay in the hospital and everyone understood why. Now that they were engaged, everyone knew things were going to change.

"So? Who's going to tell me about Wilkins?" Maura rolled her eyes at Jane's question. She had been putting her off all week, purposely not answering any questions about Wilkins or the outcome of the case. The only thing Jane had been told was the final toll at the precinct. Three officers dead, two maimed and at least 4 others including themselves injured between the blasts and shootings. That wasn't counting of course the initial shootings that had prompted Jane's call to the BAU in the first place.

"They're still in prelim stage but his attorney is already clamoring about diminished capacity. Not to mention he's citing that the authorities have failed to keep his client safe in jail. He was beat up again yesterday." Korsak kept his update as brief as possible, he had promised Maura not to go into too much until they had to.

"Sonofabitch! Ow…" Jane grimaced as she sat up straight at his words.

"Jane…" Maura's warning tone made them all smile. Maura had been keeping her on a short leash during her hospital stay and was adamant that she considers her recovery before anything else.

Jane opened her mouth to respond and snapped her mouth shut when she saw the look in Maura's eyes. She wasn't kidding. Once Jane had been out of danger, Maura had let her have it and Jane knew she deserved every word of it. If nothing else this case had shown her quite clearly what was most important to her and that was Maura.

"Whipped…" Morgan coughed into his hand and looked innocently at Jane as the others started laughing.

"Keep it up Morgan, you're just jealous you haven't found your own honey yet. You'll be whipped soon enough." Jane looked at him smugly as she grabbed Maura's hand.

"Morgan I'd be careful if I were you. You're a bit outnumbered here." Pen smiled sweetly at him as she pulled Jordan down next to her.

"Wait a minute, I'm not outnumbered? There are more of us guys…"

Rossi and Korsak put their hands up. "Don't include us in that kiddo. Rossi winked at Jane and smiled.

The doorbell saved Morgan, this time he was smart enough to get up himself to get it.

Emily and JJ stood outside hand in hand. The visible bruises and cuts already fading away. JJ still had the stitches in her back so she walked a bit more stiffly than Emily did but they both welcomed the round of hugs and hellos from everyone.

"So…the gang's all here…" Hotch looked at everyone and unconsciously breathed a sigh of relief. They were all alive and mending. This case had been a cluster from the get go for a number of reasons and he was determined that it wouldn't happen again. Their over confidence had almost been their downfall.

"That tone doesn't bode well." Emily held her fiancee's hand tightly and looked at her boss. "What's up Hotch?"

His eyes crinkled at the corners as he smiled at her. She was too savvy for her own good sometimes, but she also had more experience than the others working with other agencies.

"You know me to well Prentiss. Sit first then we'll talk."

Jordan offered JJ her seat on the loveseat next to Penelope and went to stand behind her.

"Thanks." JJ sat next to her best friend, "You look better Pen."

"You too pumpkin. We've both seen better days though."

"I'd say we all have, except maybe Morgan." JJ winked at Reid. "I don't know Hotch, but I think he was slacking. There's barely a scratch on him."

"Hey!" Morgan objected. "I got banged up too, I was just lucky enough to not be in the line of fire at that particular moment." His cockiness shifted as he saw the visible signs of what some of his team had been through. "I would gladly trade with you guys though." His last words were full of anger at the man responsible and the circumstances that had brought them to this point.

Emily patted him on the shoulder. "We know big guy, she's just messing with you."

Morgan just nodded thoughtfully and looked at his boss. Hotch had something to tell them, so… "So what's up Hotch?"

"Well, some of us aren't due back at the BAU until next week." He nodded to Reid and Morgan. "Some of us still have doctor appointments pending to get us cleared for duty." He looked at his team and locked eyes with Rossi who gave him a slight nod. "The team is going up for review in two months. We need to present evidence as to the viability of this team continuing as is."

"What?!" Morgan jumped to his feet and looked at Hotch. "This is bullshit Hotch!"

Putting his hand up he tried to get them all to quiet down as they all started talking at once, one voice slightly louder than the others.

"Why are they doing this to you?" Jane couldn't understand what asshole could possibly be in charge down there who would allow this.

"We've been spotlighted thanks to some prior dealings and the Director wants us to present a case for keeping the BAU." Hotch's voice held a familiar tone and he and JJ both looked at Emily as they realized what this was about.

"I thought we were past this." Emily got up and walked out Maura's back door.

"Em!" JJ started to push herself to her feet when she was stopped.

"I'll go," Jordan waved her back and smiled when Morgan joined her. "We'll go." They both followed Emily out as the others looked between JJ and Hotch.

JJ spoke first, "What the hell Hotch?" Her happiness at all of them having survived, at her engagement were extinguished with his words. The pain on Emily's face was heart wrenching.

"I'm sorry JJ, even Strauss tried to stop it but they threatened her with suspension if she didn't cooperate."

"So what do we do now?" Reid tugged worriedly on his collar. He didn't like the hearings they had faced when Emily had made her reappearance, alive and well. At worst he knew they could disband the BAU as they now knew it or have them reassigned. At best, they could all just be placed on probation. He preferred the latter.

Rossi spoke up, smiling when Maura sat next to him. "We heal kiddo. We heal and we jump through whatever hoops we have to so we can keep this team together."

Maura nodded to Korsak unhappily giving him the go ahead to give Jane more information.

"Janie, we're not out of the woods either."

Jane growled at him, "What the hell are you talking about Vince?"

"The brass is breathing down Cavanaugh's neck about what happened at the station and-"

"And nothing Vince. This was Cavanugh's cluster fuck. He should have listened to the recommendations made and he didn't. We made the right call. Maybe I didn't down in the morgue but that's me, not anyone else." Jane gritted her teeth at the exertion as sweat beaded along her forehead. Her ribs were screaming at her and everyone noticed.

"That's enough." Maura's tone brooked no argument. "We will deal with whatever comes, but right now everyone needs to just relax, especially you Jane."

"Maur…"

"Jane."

"Fine!" Jane settled back in the recliner grumbling the whole way. She pointedly ignores the surprised look and some chuckling directed her way.

Rossi marveled at the way Maura handled Jane. She was a different person than the one he had met. Stronger. He liked this Maura Isles.

"It seems to me we all have a lot to answer for on this case."

JJ looked worriedly at the door that Emily had gone through and wondered just what this case might have cost them all.

**xxxxxxx**

Morgan and Jordan caught up with Emily as she got to the car.

"Uh, uh princess, no running away this time." Morgan put his hand on the door and held it closed.

"Let me go Derrick." The flatness in her voice told him she was already shutting down, distancing herself physically and emotionally from all of them.

"I won't Emily, we're a family and a family sticks together."

"No matter the cost?"

"No matter the cost." Morgan pulled her reluctant form into his arms and hugged her tightly. He refused to let her go through things alone again, no matter what she wanted.

"Thanks Derrick." She wiped away a tear and stared at Jordan. "What made _you_ come after me?"

She shrugged, "Eres familia, besides JJ wasn't moving so well. Anyway, you may be seeing more of me soon."

"What do you mean?" Emily leaned against the car and crossed her arms. She knew her abrupt departure was an absolute no go for JJ. She had promised her fiancée that she wouldn't run anymore and that was the first thing she had done, she could kick herself for that.

"Well, I'm technically a civilian, not on active duty. What I did with you all was related to my military persona and it looks like I may be reactivated. If I can pass the physical." She pointed to the eye patch. "If not, they want to use me in a civilian capacity."

"Does Pen know?" Morgan shifted uneasily thinking about what Jordan's departure might mean for his friend.

"We discussed it. One step at a time she said." She smiled warmly at them, "She's wonderful, you know? Fully supportive of whatever I decide."

"That's Garcia for you." Emily stood up straight. "Look you two…uhm…ah hell, thanks for coming to get me. My first instinct was to run but I guess I need to cut that crap out don't I."

"I'd say so Princess, especially if you plan to make an honest woman out of her. She'll kick your ass if you go off half-cocked again."

"You're right Morgan. We'll face whatever they have for us and come out like we always have, together. Come on, let's head back in." They followed her as she walked back into the house smiling when everyone got quiet at her entrance.

Emily just shook her head and grinned ruefully at them. She walked over to JJ and kissed her in front of everyone. "Never again," she whispered quietly to her.

"Promise?"

"Promise."

"So now what?" Barry smiled at Hotch who was wearing a matching sling.

"I recommend we take the time off we've been given. Enjoy each other's company and recover, and then go back to work and give them hell." Hotch's voice was so serious they all looked up at him as he spoke.

"Sounds good to me." Reid said.

"You know what sounds even better?" Jane waited for everyone's attention. "I say once everything settles down we try to get together again, but not for a case." Their questioning looks made her laugh which she quickly regretted. "Vacation people. What say we go on a vacation from all this crap?"

"Now that sounds like a plan!"

"Nice!"

"Oooh, I love that idea!"

Everyone's responses mixed together but the sentiment was the same. They all needed a vacation.

**So, as I said. It can end, right here but more than likely I will post a short chapter that will lead into the next story. Some loose ends to tie up: Wilkins; Jordan's eye and reactivation; the BAU review, Boston PD review. Did I miss anything? Let me know what you think and where you see this going. I'd love to hear from you. BTW I've also been nominated for best author and for best angst with SSA-rtune for Damage Control and best original character-Dominique in Damage Control.**

**See ya soon!**


	24. Chapter 24 New beginnings

**A/N: Okay folks, as promised one final chapter to tie up some loose ends and set the stage a bit for the next story. If you are so inclined, you may want to author alert so you can be notified when the new one posts. Thank you again for a wonderful ride….**

"It is the ruling of this board that:

1-the Behavioral Analysis Unit and its current team are placed on probation for a period of six months.

2-All cases assigned are to be initially approved by Section Chief Erin Strauss.

3-At no time will the members of this unit act outside of the parameters of generally accepted practices for the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

Any violation of this ruling can and will be grounds for dissolving the existing unit and reassigning its members in accordance with the needs of the Federal Bureau of Investigation"

Emily slapped the letter down on the counter and clenched her hands. Thank goodness it was Saturday because all she wanted right now was to bust that asshole of a senator in the mouth. As a member of the security oversight committee, he had basically led a witch-hunt sanctioned by the U.S. government. Somehow, thanks in no small part to Strauss, Rossi and of all people her mother; they had only been placed on probation. She walked over to the picture window and leaned against the wall. It had been a long two months. Physical healing had happened naturally, but the psychological and emotional was taking some serious thought. The positive in all of this had been the serious quality time that she had been able to spend with Jennifer. They had been skittish about setting a wedding date at least until the outcome of the review.

Emily heard Jennifer's keys in the door and took a deep breath. She hated to give her this kind of news but at least they were together and their team still had a chance.

**xxxxxxx**

Erin Strauss settled on the plush couch and passed Dave Rossi his drink.

"Thank you." He said quietly.

"For what? None of this should ever have happened David, you and I both know that. With all the scrutiny we were already under why-"

He stifled her words with a kiss, grinning as he sat back to watch his flustered Section Chief try to compose herself.

"That was not fair."

"None of this is Erin and I believe you know that." He settled himself back and scratched at his lower leg. It was healing but he was still in physical therapy trying to increase his strength. Until then he was a desk jockey. "At least they are continuing to give you a say so."

"That's only because we have them believing that I hate the team, especially Aaron and Emily." Frowning she leaned into him. "I don't hate them you know. They just…"

"I know Erin. But you all need to make your peace eventually."

"Give me some time. In the meanwhile, let's just enjoy our time together, hmmm?"

"Yes ma'am." Rossi smiled warmly at the woman he had fallen for. They had spent so many years butting heads that they had wasted a lot of time. He was quite content to make some of it up.

**Xxxxxxxxx**

Jordan Rivera looked around her old office sadly. She hated to leave but orders were orders. She was being reactivated in a civilian capacity with the military Criminal Investigations Division at Quantico. The plus side of it all was that it would be just a few floors away from Penelope. She herself was still on medical leave though. Her eye was not healing as it should and now that the swelling and laceration had healed, she had another appointment to determine what any next steps might be. For now though she was keeping the eye patch. The angry red eye staring out at folks was disconcerting even to her.

"You ready sweetie?" Garcia stood there holding Jordan's two plants. Penelope watched her girlfriend look around and leaned her head on her shoulder. "Okay?"

"Si querida, I'm fine." She hoisted the box with her personal items and turned to her. "Come on, Morgan is expecting us over for dinner."

"Yes ma'am" Pen walked by her side as they got to the elevator, "I still don't know how you got him to cook."

"He lost a bet."

"What bet?" Pen looked at her curiously seeing the mischievous twinkle in her eye.

"Ah querida, I'll tell you later." Jordan was confident that Morgan and the others would help her out. The bet had been between Morgan and Rossi and he had lost. Bounce in her step she looked forward to the changes in her life, professional and personal.

**xxxxxxxxxxx**

Jane slammed the door behind her and, completely ignoring both her mother and Maura who were in the kitchen, went down to the basement.

Maura looked after her with worry. Jane's final appointment with the doctor had been today and she hadn't wanted anyone accompanying her. Obviously something had gone wrong.

"Excuse me Angela." She quickly wiped her hands and went to follow Jane.

"Sure." Angela finished wiping the counter and considered staying but thought better of it. Maura was better prepared to help Jane than she was right now. Angela let herself out with a sigh. She just hoped everything was okay.

Maura knocked lightly on the door. "Jane?" She opened the door to find Jane sitting on the edge of the bed with her head in her hands. "Jane honey?" She sat down next to her and laid a hand on Jane's leg.

"They won't give me the go ahead to go back to work." Her voice was raspy and filled with unshed tears.

"What are you talking about? Why not?" Confused, Maura forced Jane to look at her. "Jane?"

Jane squeezed her eyes shut. She was ashamed that she'd been unable to pass the physical. "I couldn't pass the stress test."

Maura was stunned. The injuries that Jane had suffered in the past several years were taking their toll obviously. "Jane I-"

"I'm done Maura, I can't…" The tears came and her words were suddenly lost in them. Maura gathered her up in her arms and held her. She ran through all of Jane's past injuries and knew that she could overcome this, with some work.

"Jane…" Maura kept her tone soft, gentle. "What exactly did the doctor say?"

Jane pushed away and looked at her. "I couldn't do it Maur…my heart rate was all over the place and he started citing the injuries I've had and the toll it takes on the body and how I needed more time to recuperate and blah…blah…blah…" Frustrated she got up and started to pace.

"But they didn't say you couldn't go back, right?"

"No, they placed me on extended medical leave, thirty day review."

"Well that's good then."

"What's good about it."Disgusted Jane plopped herself back one the bed. "How is any of this good?"

Maura knew how important going back to work was for Jane but she was almost grateful. "Well, now maybe we can focus on something else while you get yourself back to where you need to?" The hopefulness in her voice brought a reluctant smile to Jane's face. They had finally decided on a date for their wedding and it was coming up quickly, her only real concern being Wilkin's trial around the same time.

"You mean the wedding?" Jane deadpanned.

"_The_ wedding?" Indignant Maura poked her in the shoulder. "_Our _wedding!"

Jane chuckled at the indignation in her tone. Just talking to Maura made her feel better. Laying back on the bed she grimaced a bit at the twinge from her ribs. "Yes ma'am, our we…mmm" Maura captured her lips forcefully, letting herself explore Jane's body with her hands.

"What was that for?" Jane's body was tingling where Maura had touched her.

"That was to remind you of where your priorities should be." Maura snaked a hand under Jane's shirt and continued to trace circles on Jane's stomach.

Grabbing her hand Jane rolled Maura onto her back and growled seductively. "I know exactly what my priorities are."

"Oh do you now?" Maura giggled, thankful that she had taken Jane's mind off of her work.

"Oh yeah…" Jane grunted as she found the spot on Maura's neck that drove her fiancee crazy. She would work her ass off and recuperate like they wanted before she went back to work. And she _would_ get back to work. But until then, Maura was right; they had a wedding to plan and maybe a vacation to take once she heard back from Emily. She felt her body tighten at Maura's touch and smiled, right now though, priorities….

**A little bit of everything was in that one even though it was short. I already started the new one, tentatively titled-Target Acquired…see a them there? Yup me too. I would love to get some feedback from you all about this story and what you see happening in the next. They will be going on vacation…see ya soon!**

**BTW-This story has been nominated for best crossover in the Rizzles Fanfic Awards. Voting opens tomorrow.**


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